Hunting

To qualify for a Franchi shotgun rebate of $100 or $200, shooters must purchase a new Franchi I-12 or Renaissance shotgun from an Authorized Franchi Dealer between January 18 and November 30, 2011.

(GunReports.com) --Traditions Performance Firearms' new Pursuit Ultralight weighs in at 5.15 lbs. The Pursuit Ultralight is Traditions’ mid-level break-action gun for hunters and shooters who are looking for a full-featured gun at a fraction of the cost. The 26” barrel comes with Premium CeraKote Finish, a Speed Load System, Williams fiber-optic sights, and the Accelerator Breech Plug.

In a Gun Tests shoot-off, the staff looked at a familiar name associated with gas-operated shotguns: Browning's Silver Hunter Twenty No. 011350605, $1079. GT's test ammunition included both 7/8 oz. Estate loads and Winchester Super-X Heavy Game Loads No. XU20H7 with 1 ounce of No. 7 1/2 shot—what our shooters use as an everyday dove load along with Fiocchi 20HV75 shells. GT also patterned with Federal Mag-Shok high-velocity lead 3-inch 1-5/16 ounce No. 5 shot (No. PFC258) and Winchester Supreme 1-5/16 ounce 3-inch shells with No. 5 shot (No. STH2035). The staffers shot patterns at 40 yards, the patterning all shot from bag and cradle. They also fired the guns extensively at the range and in the field to record what they liked and didn't like about the guns. Here's what they learned:

The frosted, matte finish didn't distract; the Browning properly ejected every shell we fed it; the gas action did a good job of lengthening the recoil pulse to make it feel like a soft shooter. It was a joy to carry all day, and the company's customer service department resolved a trigger problem promptly.

(GunReports.com) -- According to the NRA-ILA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing to open Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota to deer and turkey hunting for the first time, while expanding hunting activities at nine other refuges in eight states.

(GunReports.com) -- Winchester Repeating Arms has introduced the Model 70 Featherweight Compact, a new rifle that features a 20-inch barrel, a 13-inch length of pull, an overall length of 39 ½ inches and weighs 6 ½ pounds.

Watch as Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of MidwayUSA, demonstrates the basic safety and operational features of revolvers.

Federal Premium Ammunition put together one of the most in-depth looks at hunting bullet performance. Using state-of-the-art high-speed cameras, this video showcases Nosler Ballistic Tip, Sierra GameKing, Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, Barnes Triple Shock X-Bullet.

Paul Pluff, director of marketing for Smith & Wesson, details the features of the entry-level M&P 15 Sport rifle, $709. “We took the standard M&P 15 style rifle and saved some money to get the price down,” he said. ““One of the ways we were able to cut costs,” Pluff said, “is that Smith & Wesson is now forging its own lower receivers. This gun still has a lot of features, including a Magpul Pmag, 6-position adjustable stock, adjustable sights, Picatinny rail, melonite-coated barrel, flash hider, and heat resistant front handguard.”He pointed out the Sport has an integral trigger guard, no dust cover, and no forward assist button, using instead a notch cut in the bolt to perform forward assist if needed.”

Dropping a dove without retrieving it is both poor form and wasteful. If the friendly neighborhood game warden is in the area, such unsportsmanlike conduct might also get you cited for "waste of game."

When you have managed to knock a bird out of the sky with a well-placed pattern of shot, watch the bird fall all the way to the ground and keep your eye on that spot.

Focus on any identifiable landmark - a clump of tall grass, a bush, a telephone pole or fence post that is in direct line with the fallen bird and immediately walk to that spot.

Don't take your eyes off the spot. Don't shoot another bird and don't look down to load your shotgun. Retrieving that bird is your first and only mission.

Unlike crossing birds where swing through and shooting well in front of the doves is necessary, an incomer requires a touch of finesse.


Browning attempted to capture the look of the high-wall Winchester of a century ago. However, the Japanese folks who made this Browning decided to put a glassy finish on this historic-minded rifle, which didn’t do it any good. Old Winchesters never had glassy-finish stocks, nor did they have buffed barrels that lost the sharp edges of the octagon. So right off the bat, this rifle didn’t look right because of its glitzy finish. However, the profile and mechanism of the test rifle looked a lot like a High-Wall Winchester, and the rifle had some well-done features, according to Gun Tests magazine.

(GunReports.com) -- Watch as Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of MidwayUSA, demonstrates the basic safety and operational features of pump, semi-automatic and break-open shotguns.

(GunReports.com) -- Shotgunners have skeet, trap and sporting clays. Now a Utah shooting range has brought a new game to town for long-distance riflemen. Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf, located a short drive north of Salt Lake City, Utah, offers more than 30 realistic wildlife targets set at distances ranging from 175 to 1,300 yards for the intrepid marksman.