By John Geiger

Shooting a suppressed rifle with a short barrel is the latest trend in the U.S.

But unfortunately, velocity drops with every inch taken off a barrel.

According to one of the largest ammo companies in the U.S., Federal Premium, you can now have your cake and eat it, too.

Federal Premium is loading five bullets into the new 7mm Backcountry, although that number is expected to grow. They are 155- and 170-grain Federal Premium Terminal Ascent, 195-grain Federal Premium Berger Elite Hunter, 168-grain Federal Premium Barnes LRX Copper and 175-grain Federal Fusion Tipped, shown here.

The company’s engineers have developed a new cartridge case that can sustain much higher case pressures than we’re used to. That means, with this new cartridge — 7mm Backcountry — you can get long-barrel speed even in a short barrel.

Suddenly, one of the biggest obstacles to adopting a suppressor — the extra length it tacks onto the barrel — is no longer an issue.

This short-barrel trend is primed to explode.

“This cartridge is a game-changer for guides and hunters like me,” said West Texas and New Mexico guide Josh Coffey. “We went with short barrels with suppressors a few years ago. We were done with pulling long barrel suppressors out of our packs in the mountains or getting in and out of trucks with them. We like our rifles light and short. Now we don’t have to give up velocity.”

On a recent mule deer hunt in New Mexico, I carried a shorter-barrel rifle with a suppressor and shot the new 7mm Backcountry ammo.

Much of the hunt consisted of driving ranch roads at High West Outfitter’s H-Y Ranch west of Silver City. I was constantly getting out of the truck with my rifle and glassing distant herds.

I was using a Gunwerks Magnus with a 20-inch barrel and 5 ½-inch Silencer Central Banish Backcountry suppressor. In total, the rifle was 44 ½ inches long from recoil pad to the tip of the suppressor. It was a very manageable package.

Right away, I noticed how much better a shorter barrel and suppressor was when sliding in and out of the truck without clanking anything or breaking a window. I was hooked on the short barrel.

Federal Premium loads five types of bullets into this new premium-quality, alloy-steel cartridge. John Geiger, SAFARI Magazine managing editor, used 7mm Backcountry with a 175-grain Fusion Tipped bullet to stop this deer in its tracks during a recent hunt in New Mexico.

At the range, before the hunt, I shot sub-MOA groups at 100 yards from the bench and from the bipod. I used the Revic ballistic app to set my distances and trued my info at 300 yards. With a Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph, I got three-shot velocities of 2,966, 2,963 and 2,968 fps using Federal Fusion Tipped bullets. In addition to that bullet, Federal is also loading super-fast 155- and 170-grain Federal Premium Terminal Ascent, 195-grain Federal Premium Berger Elite Hunter and 168-grain Federal Premium Barnes LRX Copper bullets.

The Revic elevation turret was inscribed with MOA clicks. With the ballistic app, I could enter the distance, make a wind call and be on target beyond 600 yards. I was not planning on shooting at an animal at that distance, but I knew my setup and was capable of doing so. I had shot MOA groups out to 1,200 yards with a Magnus in the past, so my confidence was high.

The turret also had a built-in Plan B.

If I chose, I could instead dial to the yardage — rather than MOA — for a quicker shot. The custom turret was engraved with yardage stops specifically for this rifle and bullet. I tested the yardage turret as well as the MOA elevation turret out to 500 yards. They were both highly accurate.

The eventual shot at the mature mule deer on Day 3 was a quick setup. It was not a rushed shot but a shot that had to be taken within a short window of time. The buck was feeding and moving up a hill, getting farther away. It was about to crest the summit, be sky-lined and then out of sight.

Coffey gave me the distance and a wind call. With the big deer on the move, I chose to dial to the yardage rather than check the app for a MOA setting. I pulled the trigger during my respiratory pause. At 460 yards, the shot was right on. The big muley stopped in his tracks, looked up to heaven and tumbled 20 yards back down the hill where he lay dead. The bullet had pushed through the quartering-away deer from the back of the left lung through the front of the right lung.

After the shot, I wondered if I would have had the time to input the yardage on the app, get behind the scope, get a wind call and fire before this trophy was gone. Maybe, but it was nice to have that yardage option at hand.

We travel many miles for our hunts, practice at the range, get the best gear we can and hunt hard in all kinds of weather for a shot at a game animal. Hunting can be a very technical pursuit if we let it.

I watched the downed deer in the scope more than a quarter mile away. Emotion, buried away during several days of non-stop hunting, suddenly hit me hard in the form of gratitude. The sky then seemed bluer. The mountains felt closer, the wind fresher, and life felt much fuller. I turned to look at my guide, who, like a rock, had walked with me through this process from Day 1.

“Thank you,” I said.

“You bet,” said Coffey. “Nice shot.”

We sat there for a few minutes. Saying nothing because nothing needed to be said.

What other adventure besides hunting creates friendships and forges mutual respect so quickly? I’ve yet to find it.

Federal Premium’s new 7mm Backcountry is designed for hunters who want to shoot suppressed with short barrels at high velocities. Gunwerks is chambering its Magnus in 7mm Backcountry. The shorter 20-inch barrel paired perfectly with a Silencer Central Banish Backcountry and Revic scope.

SECRET SAUCE

It’s not the bullet that gives this package such a boost in speed. And it’s not a new propellant mix. Instead, it’s the actual material that Federal uses to make the cartridge hull itself.

This 7mm Backcountry cartridge is a result of seven years of development.

In 2017, the U.S. military came to the company because it wanted better ammo performance.

“We tested many materials at higher pressures,” said Federal engineer Brad Abramowski.

Abramowski’s team landed on a very specific, patented steel alloy. Wait, Steel? Shooters the world over are all too familiar with common steel cases. They’re made to be cheap, throwaway-range ammo. They corrode and often can’t be reloaded.

“This alloy is very different,” said Abramowski.

It’s patented, so they’re not giving away the formula, but they call it Peak Alloy and it’s more closely related to the types used in bank safes, race cars and nuclear reactors.

This alloy allows Federal to safely increase cartridge pressures, boosting velocities to magnum levels through a shorter barrel without more recoil.

Brass is usually loaded to a ceiling of 65,000 psi. Peak Alloy is safely loaded to 80,000 psi. In practical terms, that translates into 3,000 fps velocities with a 170-grain bullet out of the 20-inch barrel. During our hunt, another hunter had a custom Horizon rifle with a very short 16.25-inch barrel that shot an impressive 2,880 fps.

John Radzwilla of Hook & Barrel magazine used a 16.25-inch barreled Horizon rifle in 7mm Backcountry to take this old mule deer on a hunt in New Mexico recently. The short-barreled rifle sent a 175-grain Fusion Tipped bullet at 2,880 fps.

7mm PRC and MAGNIFICENT 7s

Of all the hunting calibers out there, Federal picked 7mm for its new cartridge.

“Choosing 7mm made the most sense compared to other calibers,” said Mike Holm, Federal’s director of centerfire ammo.

Hunters know that the 7mm, .284-inch bullets hit a sweet spot of higher ballistic coefficients compared to the 30’s or 6.5’s. There are many proven 7mm bullets on the market that are heavy for caliber with excellent BCs.

And in the 7mm-caliber world, it’s no secret that now, one in particular is king: 7mm PRC.

“We set out to beat it, and we did that,” said Holm. “Due to its safe higher-chamber-pressures, a 7mm Backcountry 170-grain Terminal Ascent shot through a 24-inch barrel gives you a muzzle velocity of around 3,150 fps. A 7mm PRC with the same bullet generates about 2,950 fps. Through a 20-inch barrel, 7mm Backcountry shoots approximately 3,000 fps while the 7mm PRC is only 2,850 fps.”

You might expect the recoil to jump up along with the velocity. But the higher pressures promote a better burn, mitigating the kick.

The jury is out on reloading for now. While steel is not as malleable as brass, these cartridges can still be reloaded several times, said Abramowski.

The new cartridges are available now, so we’ll soon hear if the case is a hit with the do-it-yourself reload crowd.

Meanwhile, hunters can use factory ammo long on speed with their suppressed, short-barrel rifles.

Hunters and guides were strangers just a few days ago. From left, hunter J.J. Reich of Federal Premium, author John Geiger, engineer Brad Abramowski and guide Josh Coffey enjoy each other’s company and check out the unique characteristics of the deer’s rack.

To cover the immense High West Outfitter ranch in southwestern New Mexico, hunters were constantly getting in and out of a Tacoma to glass far-off herds of mule deer in search of mature bucks of a certain age class. In the past, they would have had long barrels and a long suppressor. Now, they had a maximum of 20-inch barrels with 5 1/2-inch-long Silencer Central Banish suppressors.

Packing out a mule deer with a shorter-barreled rifle is a dream: you’re not catching the muzzle on trees, and the rifle doesn’t stick out of the gun pocket awkwardly.

Author John Geiger looks southwest toward Arizona and Mexico as he packs out a mule deer from the foothills of the Gila Mountains near Silver City, New Mexico.

Horned lizards, also called horntoads, are common in this part of the country. Their excellent camouflage is their best defense.

High West Outfitters hunts many ranches around the U.S. Southwest, including H-Y in the heart of the Gilas.

Federal Premium’s new 7mm Backcountry is designed for hunters who want to shoot suppressed with short barrels at high velocities. Gunwerks is chambering its Magnus in 7mm Backcountry. The shorter 20-inch barrel paired perfectly with a Silencer Central Banish Backcountry and Revic scope.

What’s Next?

A good test of how popular a new cartridge will be is to look at how many rifle companies are investing in it and chambering for it. More than a dozen of the best companies have lined up to offer their rifles in 7mm Backcountry in 2025 and beyond. That’s a very good sign. Here are just a few.

Christensen Arms

Gunwerks

Seekins Precision

Fierce Arms

AllTerra Arms

Savage Arms

Weatherby

Geissele Automatics

Proof Research

Horizon Firearms

Pure Precision

The post New Federal 7mm Cartridge Made For Suppressed Rifles appeared first on Safari Club.

Originally published in the September/October 2024 Issue of Safari Magazine.

The deer don’t stand a chance! Well, that may not be exactly true. Researchers tell us that a deer’s sense of smell is up to 1,000 times that of a human. They have 310 degrees of vision around them (you can see 180 degrees), and they can hear up to 54,000 hertz, while you and I top out at about 24,000. Thankfully, we have the edge when it comes to innovation. Each year, manufacturers invent gear that helps us become better hunters. Here are a few new products to up your venison and antler quest. — John Geiger 

New Rifle For Deer-Hunting Adventures

Springfield’s Model 2020 Boundary Evolves From Waypoint Family

Just before this went to press, Springfield released their new Model 2020 Boundary rifle. SAFARI Magazine editors were among a handful in the industry who got to test it out in advance. The Boundary is a welcome evolution of the Model 2020 family, which started with the Waypoint, a fine rifle in its own right. 

The test rifle was 43 inches long, weighed just under 7 pounds without a scope and was chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. Our first impression was that it’s a solid platform that shoots well from the bench, sitting, prone or offhand. 

It’s designed to straddle the classic look of a deer gun — with its hinged floorplate and clean lines — and the advantages of a modern precision firearm. The new Boundary would be at home anywhere there is hunting in the world, from red stag in New Zealand to whitetails in Kentucky.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of this rifle is the rigid action it inherited from the Waypoint family. It’s based on Remington’s 700 push feed but is made with precise electronic discharge machines (EDC). EDC is used to make highly accurate cuts to the world’s toughest metals. The bolt is therefore fitted to high tolerances, thanks to the EDM-cut raceways in the receiver.

The rifle comes with either a fluted stainless steel or carbon fiber barrel. The one we shot was carbon fiber. Interestingly, the carbon fiber does not touch the steel below except for about 5% of the steel’s surface area. Springfield says this creates an air gap between the two elements that aid in cooling. We did notice the barrels cooled quickly between shot strings at the range.

At the range, the rifle was at home on the bench, sitting, prone and offhand. It has a wide, flat forend that is a hybrid between a bench gun and a walking gun. There were no malfunctions or trouble feeding or ejecting. It printed a session-best 0.861-inch group at 100 yards. The gun preferred Federal Premium Terminal Ascent cartridges among the six cartridges that we tried. Muzzle speeds were where we expected them to be, as recorded by a Garmin Xero chronograph.

The TriggerTech trigger broke cleanly at 3.5 pounds and is adjustable from 5 to 2.5 pounds. It’s hard to measure, but Springfield claims the lock time — the moment between the trigger break and primer ignition — is an amazing 1.9 milliseconds. That helps reduce operator error — a heartbeat or any movement that could move the point of aim from your target.

The 2020 Boundary is now available in .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 300 PRC, .300 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag and 7mm PRC. $2,173 for the steel barrel version and $2,599 with the carbon fiber barrel. springfield-armory.com.

Christensen Arms Evoke

Christensen Arms new Evoke rifle is designed for both beginner and seasoned hunters. They are feature-rich, yet most are sub-$1,000, making them good entry points into the lineup of Christensen Arms rifles. There are four models — from a Mossy Oak to Precision — in various camo configurations and calibers. The Mossy Oak, for example, comes in 11 calibers, from 300 PRC to the straight-wall 350 Legend. Each has a stainless-steel precision Cerakote barrel, a 60-degree bolt throw on a three-lug bolt and a detachable mag. They are suppressor-ready and include a premium RFR muzzle brake, hybrid grip angle and a user-adjustable TriggerTech trigger. Every Evoke rifle configuration comes with a sub-MOA guarantee and a limited lifetime warranty. christensenarms.com.

Gunwerks WRK Rifle

Deer hunters will welcome a new version of the Magnus rifle system from Gunwerks. By no means a cheap rifle, the new WRX is a lot like the $10k Magnus but has a stainless-steel barrel and limited paint schemes. That, and a few other modifications, cuts the price in half. We are very familiar with the Magnus platform and find it stable, balanced on a bench, sticks or offhand and a highly accurate long-range rifle. Nine calibers, from 6.5 Creedmoor to 300 PRC. 20-, 22- or 24-inch barrel options, and floorplate or flush mag, among other options. $4,975 base at gunwerks.com.

Beretta BRX1

Beretta’s recent straight-pull rifle is now available in .243 Win., .30-06 Springfield and .300 Win Mag. The rifle is made for quick follow-up shots. It only takes a pullback and a push forward to rechamber the gun, which makes it great for a quick second shot when needed. The gun has a sleek appearance, with a carbon fiber barrel option. The bolt is ambi, and you can change barrels, bolt heads and mags to accommodate different calibers with the same action and stock. $1,499. beretta.com.

Weatherby Alpine CT-1

Weatherby has released its newest model in its Model 307 platform. The Alpine CT is for hunters who want a light, accurate bolt-action rifle that they can customize. Weatherby’s Model 307 action is a 2-lug, fully cylindrical action. It complements the historic MarkV and Vanguard lineups yet is compatible with many modern aftermarket accessories, such as stocks, triggers, rails and mounts. Alpine CT’s will have the option of Peak 44 Bastion stocks, which weigh just 24 ounces. 13 chamberings, from .240 Weatherby to .300 Weatherby, including 300 PRC. MSRP is $2,199. weatherby.com.

Benelli Lupo HPR

Benelli has designed its new iteration of the Lupo rifle to be the most accurate Lupo ever. At first glance, you’ll notice the new synthetic stock that uses many features usually found in a long-range chassis gun. It has an 8-position comb height for precise eye alignment, adjusted with a button on the stock. Removable grips let you add a hunting-style or target-style grip. As usual, Benelli includes many drop and cast shims for the best fit for you. They’re backing it with a five-shot .75-inch MOA guarantee. There are six calibers, from 6.5 Creedmoor to .338 Lapua. MSRP for all models is $2,949. benelliusa.com.

HS Precision PLC

H-S Precision has been building custom rifles in South Dakota for nearly 30 years. It designs and builds every component of its rifles. Their latest — the Professional Long Range Carbon Hunter — is their first with a carbon barrel. With all H-S rifles, there are many options when you go to order a gun. For example, you can have a Timney curved, straight or H-S custom trigger installed. Other spec options include a choice of caliber, color, barrel length, twist rate, muzzle brake, trigger and more. The PLC has a push-feed action and a detachable magazine. $6,039 base price. hsprecision.com.

Franchi Momentum Elite

Franchi is adding new options to its Momentum line. The Momentum Elite now comes in the venerable .30-06 as well as 450 Bushmaster. Both models come with a 22-inch free-float barrel in Midnight Bronze Cerakote and are joined to an Evolved Ergonom-X stock. The .30-06 build-out is an obvious choice for folks who want a proven .30-caliber rifle, while the 450 is a hit with people in straight-wall deer states in the USA. Momentum Elite now comes in six calibers. $899 at Cabelas.com.

Tenpoint Crossbows

This crossbow company has been around for more than 30 years. TenPoint is pushing technology further and further to make crossbows that are faster and still highly accurate, stable shooting platforms. TenPoint says they can control flexibility and torque better and get more accuracy by making a better riser, which holds the limbs to the bow. The crossbow weighs 7.2 pounds, has a 6.5-inch cocked width and has a TriggerTech trigger. $2,449–$2,549.99. tenpointcrossbows.com.

Trijicon Tenmile

Trijicon is expanding its Tenmile HX series riflescopes to include a 5-25×50 first focal plane scope. The 5X magnification gives hunters a wide field of view or a high-magnification view of distant targets. It’s made with outstanding glass, highly repeatable adjusters, 80 MOA of adjustment and a purpose-built first focal plane MOA-based illuminated reticle, all inside a 30mm tube. MSRP, $2,190. trijicon.com.

Hornady Outfitter Cartridges

Outfitter cartridges are made for the most rugged hunting. They have corrosion-resistant nickel-plated cases, are watertight and are loaded with tough copper-alloy CX bullets. The line has been around for a while, but hunters can now get Outfitter in a 190-grain 300 PRC, as well as 20 other calibers already on the market. $35-$83 per box at scheels.com.

Federal Fusion Tipped

Fusion is Federal’s deer-hunting cartridge. It’s been popular since it was introduced in 2005. The hollow-point bonded bullet performed well, but Federal has now made it more of a long-range contender with a polymer tip to increase accuracy and a skivved nose cavity to promote expansion. The Fusion Tipped still has an electronically fused jacket and core (most bullets are mechanically pressed together), giving it very good weight retention. $44-$81 per box. Federalpremium.com

Winchester Ammo XP

Winchester Ammo’s Deer Season XP bullets are now available in multiple calibers. Deer Season XP is the company’s top-shelf deer bullet brand. It’s made to fly accurately, expand rapidly and give a massive terminal performance. The bullet has a large polymer tip, streamlined profile and alloyed lead core. There are nine calibers now available, including 350 Legend at $36 per box. winchesterammo.com.

Leupold RX-5000

Leupold’s new RX-5000’s Long Range mode lets you range to 5,000 yards — that’s nearly three miles — on reflective targets, 3,100 yards on trees and 2,000 yards deer-sized game out of the box. To assist with using Long Range mode, the RX-5000 ships with an included tripod saddle and can be fired remotely using the Leupold Control app. On the app, you can use your RX-5000 to remotely drop location pins to your phone using digital maps like onX Hunt, Apple Maps and Google Maps. leupold.com.

Swarovski NL

Glassing can get old quickly if your binos are heavy or bulky. Swarovski’s new addition to their Pure line is anything but. The NL Pure 10×52 is designed with your hand in mind. They make it easy to enjoy a relaxed view for a long period of time. We experienced this on a recent stag hunt where we glassed 90% of the time while stalking and shooting 10% of the time. The NL Pures were delightful. They also have a substantial field of view at 72 degrees or 390 feet at 1,000 yards. $3,449 retail. Info at swarovskioptiks.com.

Sig Sauer Zulu6 HDX

Sig Sauer’s new Zulu6 HDX image stabilization binos allow you to easily study distant objects, like antlers or pick apart distant hillsides for signs of bedded animals. The Zulu6 has eliminated or mitigated many of those past technological hurdles and brings a bright, stabilized image to your eye. The 12x binos are less than $1,000, while the largest 20x42mm is $1,200. sigsauer.com.

Diamond Blade Knives

A great knife will keep its edge for a long time yet be easy to sharpen. That’s what former Alaska guide Charles Allen and his company, DiamondBlade Knives, designed the Surge knife to be. We used a combo set during the recent hunting season made up of a Surge and a Pinnacle II caping knife, both in one belt sheath. They kept their edges longer than most knives we’ve used, and the double-knife sheath is super practical. $299-$525. diamondbladeknives.com.

Banks Blind

The Stump Sequoia blind from Banks Outdoors has 44 square feet of room, providing space for multiple hunters. It has eight silent-swinging tinted framed windows, and its seamless polyethylene construction makes it very durable and weather-resistant. It comes in several options, from a base model to a tricked-out, accessory-equipped Pro Hunter version. banksoutdoors.com.

The post DEER GEAR  appeared first on Safari Club.

Originally published in the 2024 October edition of Safari Times.

It’s safe to say that no Rock Island premier auction ever comes off without several surprises.  

The premier auctions are the big-money affairs held three times a year at the company’s new premises in Bedford, Texas. This is where you might encounter a rifle owned by Annie Oakley, a storied Walker Colt or a gold-plated Walther PPK presented to Hermann Goering.

These auctions last three days and typically sell more than 2,000 lots. Some of the guns have famous (or infamous) associations; others are exceedingly rare, while others claim our attention because they are unique examples of ornate workmanship, such as a jewel-encrusted fowling piece made for Louis XIV. Because of the variety, the potential for surprises — good and bad, up and down — is always there.

On its website, Rock Island publishes its catalog in digital form and the entry for each lot not only includes all the technical and historical details available but an estimate of the ultimate selling price, given as a range ($4,500-$7,000, for example), and the degree of interest, measured by how many times the item has been viewed online.

For prospective bidders, this is all valuable information. But there’s always a wild card.

A few years ago, I was in the audience when an obscure Civil War-era gun came up. The high estimate was $5,000. Bidding started briskly but quickly narrowed down to two guys, phone bidders, who both really wanted it. The final price, including the buyer’s premium, was in the neighborhood of $35,000.

Phone bids are handled by a bank of telephones down one wall, each attended by a Rock Island employee. If an item you want comes up and you look over to see a half-dozen of them, phone in one hand, bidding card at the ready in the other, you know you’re up against it.

The August 2024 premier auction had some interesting items.

One that I particularly wanted to watch was a Boss & Co. 28-gauge over/under, made in the early 1920s, with two sets of barrels. An exquisite item indeed, with an interest rating of “very active” and several thousand views, estimated to sell for between $65,000-$110,000. I was pretty sure it would be well north of $100,000. The final “price realized” (hammer price plus buyer’s premium of 17.5%) was $164,500.

Two items of particular historical interest were a Colt Thunderer and badge that belonged to Pat Garrett, the lawman who killed Billy the Kid. The Thunderer was presented around 1902, long after the Kid’s demise in 1881, while the solid gold badge was presumably made to commemorate it. They were part of a collection of Garrett-related objects, including letters and such.

At any rate, the Colt’s high estimate was $190,000. The price realized was $528,750! The high estimate for the badge was $180,000, and it brought in $235,000. That is a cool $763,750 for the two items. It’s fun to watch if nothing else.

And now we come to the rifle that had to be the surprise of the auction: a pre-64 Winchester Model 70, factory engraved by A.G. Ulrich shortly before his death in 1949.

Pre-64s have been collector’s items since about 1965, and pristine factory-original specimens can bring anywhere from $2,000-$20,000, depending on caliber and rarity. This one (Lot #1427 if you want to look at Rock Island’s website under Past Auctions) was a Super Grade .220 Swift with a 26-inch barrel, fitted with a Lyman Alaskan scope in a Griffin & Howe mount and, ornate as it was, it estimated to sell for up to $90,000.

That would have been significant in itself, but several guys wanted it — and I mean, they really wanted it. Its final realized price was $293,750. If that isn’t a record for a pre-64 Model 70, none of us could remember a higher price and I would be willing to bet the farm no .220 Swift ever sold for more.

Fortunately, I already have a pre-64 in .220 Swift, so I had no real need for it.

Terry Wieland is a writer specializing in fine firearms. His latest book is Great Hunting Rifles — Victorian to the Present. Wieland’s biography of Robert Ruark, A View From A Tall Hill, is available from Skyhorse Publishing.

The post Model 70 Sells For $293,000 appeared first on Safari Club.

Originally published in the September 2024 edition of Safari Times.

It has been 115 years since John Robertson, owner of Boss & Co. and its chief gunmaker, designer and visionary, introduced his revolutionary over/under and changed the shotgun world forever.

The Boss over/under not only made a very old concept—one barrel atop another—actually practical with self-contained cartridges, but it also set a standard for beauty, ease and reliability of operation that persists to this day. I say it persists because no design in the intervening century-plus has improved on the Boss in any meaningful way.

The English Woodward was introduced four years after the Boss (and on the eve of the devastation of the Great War) and has been its only real competitor in both senses. It’s notable that the Woodward lives on, if not by name, as the Purdey over/under. (Purdey bought out James Woodward and Sons in 1949 primarily to get its hands on the Woodward design.)

During that time, notable introductions occurred: the Browning Superposed in 1922, the Merkel and its Blitz action and the Perazzi in 1968. Admired as the Superposed is, it is unnecessarily complicated and not particularly attractive. It made its reputation as much for the quality of the FN workmanship—consistently excellent—as for any intrinsic merit.

The Merkel, while not horribly ugly in smaller gauges, in a 12, looks like something out of the Brothers Grimm. In my experience, it functions very well and to my horror, I can usually hit what I’m shooting at, which has not always been true of any number of other more attractive shotguns.

The Perazzi has its merits and legions of admirers, but it’s primarily a competition gun. Sure, you can get a Perazzi game gun, usually on special and very expensive order, but that was never its primary purpose, unlike both the Boss and Woodward. The Perazzi, however, marks the great divide, historically, between over/unders intended for hunting and those used for trap, skeet and, later, sporting clays. Gun for gun, over/unders are heavier than comparable side-by-sides, usually by about a pound and, for this reason, lend themselves more to clay birds than feathered ones. You shoot a lot of rounds at clays, and the weight helps dampen the recoil.

A lot of rounds also mean a lot of wear on some parts of the gun, and one of the goals of over/under development has been to either reduce this wear or provide a method of dealing with it. This brings me to Caesar Guerini’s latest: the admirable Invictus.

At first glance, the Invictus does not look radically different than, say, a Perazzi or a recent Browning, although the price tag, starting around $22,000, might suggest there is more here than meets the eye. As, indeed, there is.

The Invictus incorporates three notable innovations in over/under design — two related to wear and fatigue, one related directly to shooting quality.

All break-action guns are prone to eventually coming “off the face,” meaning there is a slight (and usually growing) gap between the standing breech and the barrels. This results in looseness, rattling and even hazard in some extreme cases.  Over/unders are not as prone to it as side-by-sides, but it does happen and repairing it requires great skill and many dollars.

Rather than trunnions (like the Boss) or a hinge pin (like the Superposed), the Invictus employs adjustable cams that can be moved to compensate for wear and eliminate an off-face situation. It also uses an “Invictus block” that increases the locking surface between barrels and frame. Since it, too, is replaceable, longevity is increased.

The second innovation relating to wear, and the minimizing thereof, is a method of adjusting, by means of a screw, the tension between the forend and the frame, allowing the gun to be as stiff to open and close or not as the shooter desires. This may not seem as significant, but if you’ve ever found yourself shooting competitive Skeet with a gun that refuses to open promptly, you know how ruinously distracting that can be.

Finally, shootability. The Invictus has a new trigger and hammer system that gives it one of the sweetest trigger pulls in the business.

Altogether, the Invictus warrants the label “remarkable.” Caesar Guerini says its innovations increase life expectancy by 200% to 300%. Does this mean it will match the fabled longevity of the Boss? Alas, I won’t be around to say. Meanwhile, the Invictus shoots like a dream, and that’s my immediate concern.

Terry Wieland is a writer specializing in fine firearms. His latest book is Great Hunting Rifles — Victorian to the Present. Wieland’s biography of Robert Ruark, A View From A Tall Hill, is available from Skyhorse Publishing.

The post The Remarkable Invictus, Caesar Guerini’s Latest appeared first on Safari Club.

Originally published in the September/October 2024 Issue of Safari Magazine.

In case you haven’t noticed, there’s been a lot of interest lately in the traditional lever-action rifle. By “traditional,” I mean the slab-sided, tubular-fed carbines epitomized by the iconic Winchester 94 and Marlin 336. 

WHAT HAS CHANGED?

Well, it started in 2014 when Michigan’s game department made some straight-walled cartridges legal for deer hunting, where, until then, only shotguns were allowed. Suddenly, cartridges like the .450 Bushmaster in the AR platform and lever actions chambered in .44 Rem. Magnum, .444 Marlin, .450 Marlin and .45-70 were in demand.

Since then, four other states — Iowa, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois — have passed similar legislation allowing the use of some straight-walled cartridges for deer hunting either statewide or within certain designated areas and seasons. Of the 14.3 million licensed hunters in the United States, nearly six million live in these five states, so you can imagine how much of an impact this has had on gun and ammunition manufacturers, let alone those millions of hunters previously saddled with the limited range and accuracy of shotgun slugs. 

The original rationale for shotgun-only laws was that slugs and buckshot had limited range and power and were, therefore, considered relatively safe in more densely populated hunting areas. Using that criterion, these five states decided to give a second look at what cartridges could be considered relatively safe in terms of limited range. 

Without going too deep into the weeds here, it suffices to say that as long as there are limits as to maximum case length — and there are — there are intrinsic limitations to straight-walled cartridges. Considerations such as case capacity, especially in .40 to .50 calibers, impose practical limits as to bullet shape, length, weight and diameter (caliber). 

It must be noted that Hornady’s introduction of the Flex Tip FTX bullet helped revive the traditional lever action by allowing spitzer-type bullets to be used in tubular magazines. “Revolutionary” is not too strong a word to describe the impact FTX has had on rounds like the .30-30, .32 Win. Special, .35 Rem. and 348 Win., for it nearly doubles the effective range of these grand old cartridges. With straight-wall cases, the results aren’t quite as dramatic, but Flex Tip technology significantly stretches the effective range of these cartridges. 

Regulations as to case length and caliber vary widely from state to state to the point where some even allow the thumping .45-70 and high-intensity bottleneck cartridges like the .243 and .308 Win. Suffice to say that if you have any questions as to what’s legal in your state, be sure to go online and check. 

During the four years that the other states followed Michigan’s lead in the straight-wall movement, sales of Winchester, Ruger (nee Marlin), Rossi, Uberti, Henry, and Smith & Wesson lever action rifles, as well as AR platform guns, have surged. Adding impetus was Winchester’s introduction of its .350 Legend in 2019. My first impression of the Legend cartridge was, Why? Why introduce a cartridge that virtually duplicated the ballistics of the 116-year-old .35 Remington? Knowing what I know now, I think Winchester made quite an astute move. What they did was design a cartridge that was compliant with all regs of the straight-wall states and equally at home in MSRs and bolt actions. Unfortunately, the .350 (and the .400 Legend that debuted in 2023) are not offered in traditional level actions because they are based on rimless cases, which are problematic for that rifle type. 

So now that we’re up to speed, let’s take a look at the newest additions to the classic lever action lineup: Smith & Wesson’s Model 1854 chambered in .44 Rem. Magnum and Rossi’s R-95 in .45-70 Gov’t. 

SMITH & WESSON MODEL 1854

A lot of people did a double take when they first heard about a lever action from a company whose name has always been synonymous with handguns. How they came up with the Model 1854 designation was a bit of a stretch, but that year, Smith & Wesson introduced the .41 Volcanic, a toggle-joint lever action repeating pistol. Shortly after that, the patents were sold to Oliver Winchester. 

Such was Smith & Wesson’s first and only connection to a lever action rifle for the next 170 years!

The 1854 is an entirely new rifle offering some really neat features, but it is essentially a smaller version of the Marlin 336 in both design and mechanics. The forged 416 stainless receiver, which, by the way, is beautifully machined and finished, is one inch shorter than that of the 336, resulting in a bolt travel that’s also an inch shorter, even though the lever arc is virtually the same as the Marlin’s. The ejection port, too, is smaller, just large enough to accommodate the .44 Magnum cartridge.

To me, the neatest feature of this carbine is its 9-round under-barrel tubular magazine. All other centerfire lever actions require that the action be cycled to extract and eject each live round from the magazine — a lengthy and clumsy procedure because it requires one hand to hold the gun and the other to work the lever. The result is rounds being tossed onto grass, snow or dirt. Not so with the 1854. Its magazine is like those found on .22 rimfire rifles — the magazine tube pulls free. Tipping the muzzle downwards, gravity empties the magazine into one’s awaiting hand. 

Our test gun was the synthetic stock variant. It has three M-Lok slots at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions on the fore-end to facilitate mounting lights, lasers, bipods or an alternate sling attachment (the Walnut stock version has no M-Lok slots). The 19 1/4-inch barrel is 410 stainless with a 1:20 twist and an 11/16×24 threaded muzzle for brake or can installation. On the receiver is an 11-slot picky rail with a ghost aperture sight in conjunction with a gold bead front. Having had Lasik surgery, my right eye is my distance eye, so I can’t use open sights. But with an aperture, however, I can. The rail gives the option of mounting a scope or red dot sight, so all the aiming options are covered. I just wish the rail extended further out over the barrel to allow a more forward scope positioning.

As for the mechanics, I’m sure you’re all familiar with them. The exposed hammer (for which an ambidextrous extension is supplied) has the traditional half and full-cock positions working in conjunction with a cross-bolt safety. As a further safety feature, the lever must be fully closed against the tang so that the gun can fire. The flat-face trigger is unique among guns of this type, but I prefer the old-fashioned curved face. As previously noted, the receiver, as well as the barrel and magazine tube, sport a very attractive matte stainless finish. Our test gun has an MSRP of $1,279; the Walnut-stocked version is $1,399.  

ROSSI R-95

Turning to the Rossi R-95, if you’re familiar with the Marlin 336 (or 1895), you know this gun. For years, Rossi made traditional lever actions chambered in pistol calibers based on clones of the flat bolt, split receiver Marlin 1894. However, this Brazilian-made gun is a virtual copy of the 336, except for a couple of features. One is that the firing pin is a one rather than two-piece affair; this can be seen at the rear of the bolt when it’s open. Also, the extractor has been changed to a pivoting lever that is very similar to that of an AR-15. Technically, both changes could be considered improvements. Other than that, we’re looking at a 336 clone. 

The R-95 is offered in three barrel lengths. The Trapper model sports a 16-1/2-inch spout and has a threaded muzzle; the 20- and 22-inch barreled variants do not. The Trapper’s magazine holds five rounds, while the 20- and 22-inch barrel variants hold six. The barrel and magazine tube on all three models are nicely blued to a medium sheen that contrasts with the matte finish of the lever and receiver. The grip panels on the hardwood buttstock and fore-end stock are stippled but only marginally effective. The MSRP for the R-95, as tested, is $1,060.99.

AT THE RANGE 

On the range, both guns performed as expected; that is, there were no malfunctions of any kind. Like all exposed hammer guns, the triggers were not up to bolt action standards and there was quite a bit of creep before the 1854’s broke at five pounds, the Rossi at 4 1/2. Lever actions have never been known for gilt-edge accuracy, but both guns had more than enough for distances well beyond the effective ranges of the calibers in question. 

The R-95 was the more accurate of the two, with one group measuring 1/2 inch, but the overall average was about 1.1 inches for the three loads tested and 1.4 for the four loads put through the 1854. All shooting was from the bench at 50 yards using premium-grade ammo from Hornady and Federal. 

What really impressed me was the dramatic increase in the performance of the .44 Magnum in the 19 1/4 barrel of the Model 1854. With Hornady’s 225-grain FTX load, you can expect 1,800 fps, which is 390 fps faster than when fired from a 7 ½ -inch barreled revolver. As to what that does for trajectory and retained energy, here’s what they look like based on a 100-yard zero.

RANGE (YDS)               VELOCITY (FPS)      ENERGY (FT. LBS)  TRAJECTORY(INCHES) 

0                                     1800                                      1620                                            -1.5

50                                    1575                                      1240                                            1.0

100                                  1375                                       945                                              0.0

150                                  1210                                       735                                            -5.6

To put that into perspective, no one would deny that from a handgun at 50 yards, the .44 Mag is deadly on any deer-size critter. At that distance, the Hornady FTX load delivers 760 ft. lbs. of energy. That same load out of S&W’s Model 1854 is packing 725 ft. lbs. at 150 yards!

NEW OPPORTUNITY

Millions of hunters who once had to live with the limitations of slug-stoked shotguns have now been given a more level playing field. 

It doesn’t give them the flat-shooting, long-range potential enjoyed by those hunters living in the states where magnums are allowed, but in many cases, it almost doubles the effective ranges they once had to live with. 

As for these two newest additions to the classic lever action lineup, both exemplify why this uniquely American rifle type has survived and prospered for more than 150 years.  

Jon R. Sundra, Safari Magazine’s Field Editor, has been a professional firearms writer for more than 50 years. Reach him at 7mmjon@gmail.com.

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By John Geiger, SAFARI Magazine Managing Editor 

Springfield just released its new Model 2020 Boundary rifle to the hunting market. SAFARI Magazine editors were among a handful in the industry who got to test it out in advance. 

The Boundary is a welcome evolution of the Model 2020 family, which started with the Waypoint in 2022, a fine rifle in its own right.

The Model 2020 Boundary straddles the classic look of a deer gun — with its hinged floorplate and clean lines — and features of a modern precision firearm. The bolt-action would be at home anywhere there is big-game hunting in the world, from red stag in New Zealand to whitetails in Kentucky. 

Perhaps the most significant aspect of this rifle is the rigid action it inherited from the Waypoint family. It’s based on Remington’s 700 push feed but is made with precise electronic discharge machines (EDC). EDC is used to make highly accurate cuts to the world’s toughest metals. The bolt is fitted to high tolerances, thanks to the EDM-cut raceways in the receiver.

The rifle comes with either a fluted stainless steel or carbon fiber barrel. The one we shot was carbon fiber. Interestingly, the carbon fiber does not touch the steel below except for about 5% of the steel’s surface area. Springfield says this creates an air gap between the two elements that aid in cooling. We did notice the barrels cooled quickly between shot strings at the range.

At the range, the rifle was at home on the bench, sitting, prone and offhand. It has a wide, flat forend that is a hybrid between a bench gun and a walking gun. There were no malfunctions or trouble feeding or ejecting. It printed a session-best 0.861-inch group at 100 yards. Among the six cartridges that we tried, the gun preferred Federal Premium Terminal Ascent cartridges. Muzzle speeds were where we expected them to be, as recorded by a Garmin Xero chronograph.

The TriggerTech trigger broke cleanly at 3.5 pounds and is adjustable from 5 to 2.5 pounds. It’s hard to measure, but Springfield claims the lock time — the moment between the trigger break and primer ignition — is an amazing 1.9 milliseconds. That helps reduce operator error — a heartbeat or any movement that could move the point of aim from your target.

The 2020 Boundary is built in Geneseo, Ill., and is now available in .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 300 PRC, .300 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag and 7mm PRC. $2,173 for the steel barrel version and $2,599 with the carbon fiber barrel. springfield-armory.com.

The post New Springfield Rifle For Deer-Hunting Adventures appeared first on Safari Club.

By Steve Comus, Editor-in-Chief 

Originally published in the 2024 July/August Issue of Safari Magazine.

           Christensen Arms is attacking the market with a vengeance, introducing interesting and exciting new rifle models as they continue to focus on performance.

            Although Christensen Arms has come a long way since they were the first to introduce carbon-wrapped barrels nearly three decades ago, they remain true to their original commitment to high-tech and high-performance.

            When a company’s culture is one of innovation, it can be a challenge to stay ahead of the industry consistently. But that’s just what Christensen Arms is doing.

            All this became abundantly clear when a bunch of us gathered at the Guitar Ranch not far from Lubbock, Texas, to shoot some of the new models at long-range and longer-range targets with the help of instructors from Outdoor Solutions shooting school.

Targets were engaged from close all the way out to 1,000 yards, and some folks even took pokes at targets a mile away — and hit them now and then with the rifles chambered for the 6.5 Creedmoor. 

            To 1,000 yards, the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge is quite credible. For example, with the new Christensen Arms Modern Carbon Rifle (MCR), I triggered a three-shot, five-inch group at 1,000 yards. That’s a half MOA delivered at distance, and yes, there was a wind that wasn’t all that steady, resulting in the three shots stringing horizontally.

            After adjusting the cheek piece so my eye was aligned with the scope properly and zeroing the Zeiss Conquest V4 4-16×50 scope at 100 yards, I proceeded to engage targets at longer and longer distances, becoming familiar with the rifle, scope and ammo along the way. Bear in mind that on such outings, the first time we handle any of the equipment is when it’s time to blast.

            The more I shot the MCR, the more I liked it. Trigger pull was crisp and clean, the bolt cycled smoothly and rounds fed from the magazine without a hitch.

            In addition to the many features on this new model, it engendered a feeling of confidence, of being “solid” in the sense that everything was in the right place, made of the right stuff and functioned both intuitively and predictably.

            It is important for any rifle rig to fit and handle in such a way as not to get in its own way, so to speak. When a rig is configured and adjusted correctly, it should help the shooter. Or, put another way, the shooter should not have to “fight” the rig to put the bullets where they are intended to go. 

            With all three of the rifle models I shot, the rifles, sights and ammo helped and never hindered accuracy. This was particularly true with the Ridgeline FFT. More about that later.

            Quickly, it became apparent that not only could the targets be hit at the various distances, but that it didn’t take much to deliberately put shots at various places on the targets at those distances.

            Spotting for me was one of the guys from Outdoor Solutions. These guys are great coaches, and instantly, I appreciated the way they knew how to communicate what they were seeing, along with suggestions of how to make the shots even better. A spotter’s ability to communicate effectively with the shooter is critical.

            Hence, by the time I was ready to shoot the 1,000-yard target, we were clicking. The first shot hit the target at the very lower right corner, so I changed the sight picture slightly, about as much as I thought it should be, to put the next round vertically in the middle (at such moments in shooting in the wind, sight picture is paramount, because the sights already have been set properly and even a click or two at that distance can be a big change, and a click here or there can confound things if the wind changes even a tiny bit). 

            I overcompensated, and the second shot went near the upper right corner of the target. I did some mental calculations and decided to see how far to the left the sight picture had to go to put the round in the top middle of the target. We’re talking about splitting the visual difference of the thickness of the reticle feature for some of these shots.

            That third shot hit in the upper left of the target, so I altered the sight picture just a tad to the right and a smidgen lower. When the next shot hit a little below and to the right of the previous shot, I had the proper sight picture figured out if I went still lower and a bit more to the right.

            So, I sent a round downrange, and the spotter exclaimed that I had hit dead center. “Same hold, do it again,” I heard from the spotter as the reticle rested where I thought I had it on the previous shot. Bang. “Same hold, send another,” was the spotter’s reply.

            “The last two bullets hit the same spot,” I heard from the spotter as I ejected the third consecutive shot’s empty case from the rifle. I got up from the bench to look through the spotting scope and figured I probably wasn’t going to improve the results, so I just said that I wanted to go to the target and see it close-up once the range was cold.

            Sure enough, when I got to the target, I could see the shots leading up to the final three, and, yes, the last two shots did hit the same spot. I figured that the horizontal stringing that put the overlapped last two shots left of dead center was due to slight changes in the wind (or pilot error, take your pick). 

            Granted, I was likely just lucky to shoot such a group because, during my life, I have been more often lucky than good. But what the heck, I’ll take it and frankly the important part was that the group reflected the fact that the rifle, ammo and scope were doing their jobs. It was just a matter of me doing my job at the trigger.

            Lots of things go into that kind of accuracy at range, and one fact is certain: If the rifle isn’t accurate in the first place, all the other factors, at best, merely match or degrade the overall performance. 

The sights, ammo and shooter cannot improve on the inherent accuracy of the rifle. And an accurate rifle cannot realize its potential if the sights, ammo and shooter fail to perform properly. 

            Whether it was from the bench on the range at regular targets or from various field positions at animal-shaped targets into and across canyons, first shot kill-zone hits were routine with the MCR and Ridgeline FFT at all typical hunting shot distances and beyond.

            Both the MCR and Ridgeline FFT were topped with Zeiss Conquest V4 4-16×50 scopes. Ammo was Federal’s 6.5 Creedmoor Gold Medal CenterStrike open tip match 140-grain load.

            The Ridgeline FFT, with its more classic hunting style stock, was a true joy to shoot. It was credible as far as the MCR was, and it worked both smoothly and flawlessly. To my way of thinking, the Ridgeline FFT is a thoroughbred hunting rifle.

            The ammo was amazingly consistent, and the scope performed flawlessly. In addition to crystal clear optics, scopes for the longer ranges need to have repeatable adjustment capability, and the Zeiss scope was amazingly consistent through the wide range of adjustments made repeatedly as shot distances went from 100 to 1,000 yards over the period of a couple days.

            Whether it was dialing for the proper distance or using reticle marks to allow for wind, the Zeiss scopes made hitting the targets both easy and enjoyable.

            Quickly, it became apparent that when using top-notch equipment like rifle, scope and ammo, the limiting factor is the shooter’s marksmanship abilities.

            Instructors and spotters from Outdoor Solutions helped address any pilot errors, both on the range and in the field. This resulted in increasingly higher success rates under a wide variety of scenarios.

            As riveting as the centerfire shooting was, the new Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rifle Rimfire quickly proved to be addicting. Talk about a fun gun! 

The word Precision in its name is there for a reason — we shot overlapping bullet holes at 100 yards and had no trouble hitting to 200 yards. And that’s with the .22 long rifle. The ammo was the CCI Green Tag 40-grain load.

When it comes to small game hunting, there are many states and areas where rimfires can be used that do not allow centerfires. And, of course, rimfires are not nearly as expensive to shoot, so rimfires have a lot going for them.

The fascinating thing is that, as rifles and sights become more consistent, it is now possible to test more easily and precisely the performance of the ammunition they shoot. That’s right. Rifles now are accurate enough to take advantage of the consistency and quality of the ammunition they shoot or to show if the ammo is not up to snuff.

Bottom line: rimfires are now more serious equipment than ever before, and there have been many very serious rimfire rifles through the years. This is another example of how technology and advanced manufacturing abilities are resulting in better products for the consumer. It’s a win/win situation all the way.

Ammunition is also becoming more consistent, so the only real limiting factors anymore are the marksmanship abilities of the shooters themselves. That’s a great place to be because now serious and consistent practice is the only thing standing between the shooter’s dreams and the realities of precision shooting.

Following are some quick looks at Christensen Arms products this year:

Modern Carbon Rifle

Starting at 6.7 pounds, the MCR wears a Flash Forged Technology (FFT) carbon fiber stock with an adjustable push-button cheek riser, full-length M-LOK on the forearm, front and rear QD attachment points, adjustable length of pull via spacers and an integrated forward Picatinny rail section.

The Remington 700-style action is topped with and optic-ready 20-MOA Picatinny rail and features a skeletonized bolt handle with a carbon fiber bolt knob.

Fitted to the action is a free-floating, hand-lapped, button-rifled Christensen Arms aerograde carbon fiber barrel with a Match chamber and suppressor-ready (5/8×24 thread pitch) threaded muzzle equipped with a premium side-baffle brake.

It also features a detachable magazine, an ergonomically designed hybrid grip and crisp, adjustable TriggerTech trigger (3.5 lb. factory set: 2.5-5 lb. adjustability range).

Chamberings, barrel lengths and twist rates are:

6.5 Creedmoor – 22-inch barrel, 1:8 twist.

6.5 PRC – 22-inch barrel, 1:8 twist.

7mm PRC – 24-inch barrel, 1:8 twist.

.308 Win. – 22-inch barrel, 1:10 twist.

.300 Win. Mag. – 24-inch barrel, 1:10 twist.

.300 PRC – 24-inch barrel, 1:8 twist.

Modern Precision Rifle Rimfire

The Christensen Arms MPRR is a bolt action chassis rifle with carbon fiber tension barrel. It features a Remington 700-style trigger, lightweight billet aluminum chassis with folding stock, FFT carbon fiber handguard with M-LOK, adjustable FFT carbon fiber cheek piece and six QD flush-cup mounts.

The barrel is button rifled and precision lapped with match chamber and threaded muzzle (1/2×20). The bolt features dual extractors and dual opposing locking lugs.

The action has a 0-MOA optic rail, Remington compatible TriggerTech trigger, and it uses Ruger BX-1 magazines. The rifle also features V-block bedding and an AR-compatible grip.

The MPRR is available in three chamberings. Barrel lengths available for all three are 16, 18 and 20 inches. Chamberings and rifling twists are:

.22 LR – 1:16 twist.

.17 HMR – 1:9 twist.

.22 WMR – 1:14 twist.

Evoke

Also new this year from Christensen Arms is the Evoke suite of rifles, which represent a change from tradition for Christensen Arms in that they do not have carbon fiber-wrapped barrels.

Although there were no Evokes at the Texas shoot, there was plenty of information about them, including the fact that they will have six-lug bolts, which means a short bolt lift.

The Evoke is intended to provide a new entry point into the world of Christensen Arms rifles yet offers a host of features that promise to make it a truly credible hunting rifle anywhere in the world.

Sporting a 416R stainless steel #4 contour precision barrel with Cerakote finish, the Evoke is built around Christensen Arms’ proprietary precision action. They are suppressor-ready and include a premium RFR (Reduced Felt Recoil) muzzle brake.

The stock has a hybrid grip angle, and the Evoke sports a user adjustable TriggerTech trigger. Other features include a detachable box magazine, integrated Picatinny rail and swivel sling studs, as well as cheek riser adjustability.

Every Evoke rifle configuration features a sub-MOA guarantee and a limited lifetime warranty.

The Evoke is available in 11 chamberings: .243 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .270 Win., 7mm Rem. Mag., 7mm PRC, .308 Win., .30-06 Springfield, .300 Win. Mag., .300 PRC and .350 Legend.

Ridgeline FFT

With a starting weight of 5.3 pounds, the Ridgeline FFT is a thoroughbred hunting rifle. It features a Christensen Arms precision machined receiver, TriggerTech trigger and standard 6-48 Remington 700 optics base.

It has an internal magazine with carbon fiber hinged floorplate and holds four standard cartridges or three magnum rounds. The Ridgeline FFT has a spiral fluted bolt, improved bolt release and enlarged ejection port, and features stainless steel bedding pillars.

The Ridgeline FFT is available in a host of chamberings, ranging from .243 Win. to .300 PRC.

Targets Vs. Game Animals

Familiarization outings like the one in this report are great for showing the capabilities of the equipment used. Long-range shooting is both enjoyable and rewarding.

However, there is a caveat, and that is that shots on game animals need to be limited to the competency level of the equipment and shooter combined. In other words, if every shot can hit the inanimate target at 500 yards, then a successful 300-yard or closer shot on game is virtually a certainty. Shoot straight and hunt forever.

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Austria has a long and storied history with straight-pull bolt-action rifles. Although one can’t say with any certainty that Ferdinand von Mannlicher originated the concept, he undeniably designed the first truly successful model.

Von Mannlicher’s Model 1895 became the infantry rifle of the Austro-Hungarian army and served in various capacities and countries right through 1945. Although contemporary with the Mauser 98 and arguably almost as successful, it’s not as well-known because it’s not as versatile. It cannot, for example, be reworked into a stunning custom big-game rifle, and it has few descendants, military or civilian.

The idea of a straight-pull bolt still appeals in some circles, and for particular reasons. The main one is the speed of operation. With only two motions — back and forward — compared to four for a turnbolt, a straight-pull rifle can be operated at incredible speed. 

This is a major concern in Europe, where hunting-driven big game, especially wild boar, is a favorite form of hunting. When the boar comes at you in packs, you want a rifle with a fast action and a fistful of cartridges in reserve.

This kind of hunting takes practice, both with your rifle and the psychological demands of dealing with a tight, fast-moving situation. 

I was on a stand in Germany a few years ago, waiting for something to come. It could have been anything: red stag, roe deer, even a mouflon. What I got was a classic boar sounder running straight across a hillside at about 75 yards.

A big sow was in the lead, followed by seven or eight young ones, and a medium-sized beast was bringing up the rear — all in a straight line at a dead run, like ducks in a shooting gallery. This is exactly what you see in pictures and exactly what you are told to expect in the “perfect” situation.

You are also warned, however, not to shoot the lead sow. She needs to teach the little ones the ropes, otherwise, where will you find boars to shoot next year? 

(You’ll notice I said “shoot at.”) Any of the little ones are fair game, though, as is the second-in-command at the back. So now you hear the drumming of trotters in the distance, dogs barking, the drone of a hunting horn and here they come!

My rifle was a straight-pull Blaser R8 in .30-06, topped with a fantastic piece of Zeiss glass that was total overkill for such close-in work. I had it turned way down, so that was something.

Now, here’s what I should have done, based on eight subsequent years of lying awake nights, second-guessing:  I should have laid the crosshair directly on the lead sow, knowing the bullet would hit the third or fourth little piggy, coolly worked the bolt and shot again into the middle of the line, and then placed a third shot ahead of the last one, giving myself a fighting chance of bringing her down.

The hoped-for result: Two dead piglets and the medium-sized one, for a total of three. 

The actual result: the smaller one dead, nailed in the heart (never discount the value of sheer luck), who ran on as if unhurt and breathed his last farther along the hill, where one of the dog guys found him and laid him by the road for the game cart. 

Now, you can see the value of a straight-pull.

Recently, I had a chance to try a Strasser RS 14 Evolution. Strasser is an Austrian company founded after 1945 specializing in precision metal work. Its current CEO, Mathias Strasser, is a Ferlach-certified gunmaker (it gets no better) and, being from a family of passionate hunters, decided to branch out into hunting rifles. In the past, he’s collaborated with other rifle makers, producing various parts.

The RS 14 is a switch-barrel rifle as well as a straight pull, as ingenious and precisely, beautifully, made as one would expect. One model, specifically for driven boar, has an extended magazine, but I have only seen pictures.

My test rifle had both a 6.5 Creedmoor and a .222 Remington barrel, and I tried three shots of rapid fire with each. I won’t say I would have dropped three running boars, but at least they would have known I was there.

Terry Wieland is a writer specializing in fine firearms. He has hunted on four continents, including 14 trips to Africa, and has written for Safari Times for 27 years. 

The post Straight-Pull Action, Fast And Accurate  appeared first on Safari Club.

By Jack Orloff, Associate Editor

We asked a few of the best outfitters from around the world about the importance of optics, what clients should expect when glassing and advice on the best ways to prepare.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GLASSING

“Glassing is vitally important to the kind of hunting we do,” said Chris McCarthy, New Zealand outfitter and president of the New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association.

“We do most of our hunts on the South Island of New Zealand, so it’s a lot of mountain hunting. Having the right optics and knowing how to use them is 100% needed. If we can’t find the animals by glassing, we can’t hunt them,” he said.

Nate Turner, the owner of Turner’s Alaskan Adventures, guides most of his brown bear and moose hunts on the Alaskan Peninsula. He has also guided Dall sheep hunts for many years.

“I often tell my clients that there are three judgments when glassing, and it doesn’t matter what animal we are hunting,” Turner said.

First, is your first impression. That’s where powerful optics are important for sheep and brown bears to get an intimate view of what you are looking for to determine whether you should move closer.

Second, as you get closer, you will still be using optics at the midpoint of the stalk. The last thing is the final judgment of the animal.

“Some of that is visual without optics, and some with optics. It doesn’t matter if it’s for sheep or brown bears,” said Turner. “I always view it as a three-stage process.”

Turner, who was about to leave for a brown bear hunt, says he will usually spend a lot of the first few days discussing how to properly glass with the client.

“A percentage of the hunters are clueless at first until they start spotting a few bears,” he said.

“I remember glassing for over an hour early in a hunt one time, and the hunter said, ‘So, give me a clue. What are we hoping to see?’ because they had never seen a brown bear on a mountainside two or three miles away.”

PATIENCE IS KEY

When asked what clients should expect when glassing on a hunt, most outfitters agreed that having patience is instrumental.

“When it comes to glassing, it takes patience,” said Nathan Olmstead of Prophet Muskwa Outfitters in northeastern British Columbia.

“I can sit in a spot with a client for four hours and glass for all four hours. Patience is the biggest virtue, and I would tell anyone to be prepared to have patience and to sit and glass for a long time,” said Olmstead.

It’s natural for hunters to be excited and overeager to get a shot off. They’ve spent many hours traveling and copious amounts of money on the hunt. But a lack of patience can sometimes backfire, resulting in missed opportunities.

“When you are on a guided hunt, you truly have to be patient and not push the guide to make a quick judgment when he is telling you that he’s still looking,” Turner said.

At a distance, things are not always how they appear.

“A Dall sheep from below will look like he has longer horn tips than he really does. A brown bear may be smaller but is very confident, so he carries himself in a way that would make him seem bigger,” he said. “That short window of viewing opportunity you had gave him a different mannerism that led you to believe that he was bigger. There are all sorts of things that you can misinterpret when things are rushed.”

KNOW YOUR OPTICS

McCarthy, who recommends a minimum of 10x binoculars for mountain hunting in New Zealand, says most of his clients are usually well-experienced and well-practiced when it comes to their optics due to how expensive the hunts are.

However, there are times when a client is unprepared, which takes away from time hunting.

“The biggest issue we have, especially with guys who buy new rifles to bring to New Zealand, is that they set it up with a brand-new state-of-the-art ballistic turret scope and don’t understand their adjustments for shooting the rifle at long range,” McCarthy said.

“Then, we have to spend a good amount of time on the range before we can even go hunting, which delays the hunt. The hunters should always know their rifle and scope before coming,” he said.

McCarthy also emphasized the importance of using your optics quickly and efficiently, which can be paramount, especially in his neck of the woods.

“Sometimes there are issues like their bipods might be new, and they don’t know how to adjust them,” he said.

Or, perhaps, they have not set their diopter.

They need to know all those things quickly because often opportunities can happen fast and knowing how to do all those things efficiently before making the shot is needed, said the outfitter.

Turner agreed, saying clients should always check to ensure they bring the right optics that correlate to the type of hunting they will be doing.

“Sometimes, you will get people trying to shoot a sheep at 80 yards with their scopes set at 12x when they shouldn’t even have brought a 12x scope with them in the first place,” Turner said. “It’s always worth knowing the right optics needed for the type of hunt you are going on.”

PERFORMANCE AND DURABILITY

Many factors go into choosing the right optics for a hunt. Lighter optics may be better for
hunting difficult terrain like the mountains of New Zealand. Optics with a stronger magnification may be better for spotting animals at far distances, like during brown bear hunts in Alaska.

When we asked outfitters what they look for in their optics, they said the most significant factors are performance and durability.

“I have been with Swarovski Optik forever, and I like them because they are dependable,” said Olmstead.

“The people there are standup good people, and their products are very strong and durable, and that is what it comes down to durability and the support you need when something does happen,” he said.

Olmstead prefers direct dial turrets and says clients are usually more consistent while using them.

“I don’t like it when guys show up with dope charts because they rely on them at 200 yards or 800 yards, and it wastes so much time,” he said.

McCarthy prefers top-end brands that will pull in light at the end of the day.

“For me, we look for optics that will gather that light right in those last three to five minutes at the end of the day,” McCarthy said.

“We do a lot of free-range hunting, and being able to see your target animal in those last few minutes of the day is crucial,” he said.

Turner recommends a wide field-of-view and good light transmission to his Alaska hunters. “Those are essential characteristics to have for the kind of hunting that we do,” he said.

Whether you are hunting in Alaska, Canada, New Zealand or anywhere in the world, having the right optics and knowing how to use them correctly and efficiently before a trip will increase your success in the field.

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It used to be that binoculars, scopes and spotting scopes were devices that magnified what you saw in them. Well, they still do that, but a whole lot more. They are now “smart” devices that do an amazing amount of computation for you. They can help you make informed decisions in the field to make a more effective shot, help you see your target like never before, or, perhaps, get you back to the truck. It’s a good idea to look into these recent technological advances to see if they could help you and add to your hunting toolbox. — John Geiger

1) SIG SAUER ZULU6 HDX 12×42

Amazing Image Stabilization

If you’ve ever gotten a bit of buck fever as you spy antlers or horns at a distance, you know how any shaking is magnified as you try to look at the details of your target. The Zulu6 smooths out sharp, small movements and makes it much easier to focus on the image.

Sig Sauer’s new Zulu6 HDX image-stabilization binos may be a disruptive product on the hunting optics market.

The stabilized Zulu6 allows you to easily study distant objects, like antlers or pick apart distant hillsides for signs of bedded animals. When you pick up a pair of traditional binos, you wonder why our gear has not had more image-stabilization technology. That’s probably going to change from here on out.

It’s true that image-stabilizing binoculars and laser range finders have been on the market for years, but there have usually been downsides, like weight, diminished light transmission or price. The Zulu6 has eliminated or mitigated many of those past technological hurdles and brings a bright, stabilized image to your eye. The 12x binos are less than $1,000, while the largest 20x42mm is $1,200.

If there is any downside, it’s the modest 3.6-degree field-of-view in the 12x42mm version we tried. sigsauer.com

2) SWAROVSKI TRACKING ASSISTANT

Direct Access

How many times have you shot a deer or other game animal from a distance, gone to recover it and found yourself saying, “Hmm. I thought it would be right here.”

Or, how many times have you ranged a distant target, lost sight of it in your stalk and then second- guessed yourself about whether it was on one hill or another?

If this has never happened to you, you can skip this part. But if it has, you’ll be glad to know that Swarovski’s new Tracking Assistant is a new technology that’s built to take a lot of that guesswork and confusion out of your hunting adventures. And it comes in many of Swarovski’s EL Range binos.

Glass a distant object, range the distance and then drop a pin on that location on your phone. The phone will then point you in the right direction on your way and adjust as you make your way to that spot.

You don’t have to have cell service for it to work. It will use your phone’s GPS to keep you on track and show directional arrows to get you to your target. Another option is just using the binos themselves, which will tell you the distance to your destination in yards or meters and the direction with arrows.

If you do have cell service, the Tracking Assistant app will show your position on a detailed satellite map, including valleys, rivers, mountains and other features, which is always helpful.

The binos will also lead you back to your original destination, where you took the shot. swarovskioptik.com.

3) REVIC RADIKL RS25B

Robot Riflescope

Scopes are doing more heavy lifting in long-range shooting than ever before. Revic’s new Radikl RS25b is one of those scopes — basically a supercomputer on your gun — and it’s nothing if not radical.

Let’s get this out of the way right away. Even if it runs out of batteries (CR2), it is still an excellent riflescope. But with that lithium power, it’s a powerhouse.

The bottom line is the Radikl RS25b, made by the folks at Gunwerks, replaces a lot of the functions of a ballistic app that we’ve been using for years. It’s as simple as this: you get your range and wind hold, dial the turret to that number and you’re done. When you dial the turret, the scope uses that info to calculate elevation, temperature and angle. It pushes it through the onboard ballistic engine to show your holdover in the scope in nanoseconds.

The scope’s temperature and pressure sensors calculate air density in real-time, while the magnetometers and gyroscopes calculate the inclination angle and the compass heading.

When shooting at extremely long distances, the scope even corrects for the Coriolis effect (the measurement of the Earth’s rotation on the bullet flight) as well as spindrift (the drifting of the bullet in the direction of the barrel twist).

The scope also has a crisp OLED display in the tube, so you can dial the turret without looking at it. That lets you keep your cheek weld and your eyes on the reticle plane instead of looking out over the tube to the turret.

Of course, you must still do the trigger-pulling yourself and input wind speed, direction and range. The scope needs a little help in those areas.

The system even functions with a dead battery, so you won’t lose your settings.

The Radikl RS25b weighs 38.7 ounces and is 13.2 inches long. It’s a first-focal-plane scope now available in 4-25x50mm. $3,900 at revic.com.

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