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The Perfect Hunting Rifle?

One might think the perfect hunting rifle (rifle/cartridge/scope combination) is one that a hunter can hunt any and all game with in all situations. Truth is this rifle does not exist. No one rifle can handle all hunting situations efficiently. Varmints to large-game, short to long range, or wooded to open country…what is the perfect hunting rifle? It’s a rifle that is matched to the game and hunting situation. Now I for one am a firm believer in having the right tool for the job. The number rods, reels, guns, scopes, and an almost endless list of other equipment I own can testify to this opinion.

Several friends have asked me, “What if you could only have one rifle for hunting big game, what would it be?” The answer usually depends on what mood I’m in and where and what game I’ve been hunting lately. Realistically, I want a rifle that I can carry for long periods of time, if need be with out weighting me down, but heavy enough to give a solid rest either from a stand or over a backpack. Stainless steel with a synthetic stock so I do not have to worry about maintenance or point of impact changes in the field during wet weather. Other must have options are a crisp reliable trigger and a quality variable power scope mounted in a solid base and rings. The cartridge would have to be 30 caliber with a magnum load to propel the bullet. The rifle should be able to perform most any task necessary on a given hunt with the exception of very specialized situations. Put all these things together in a sleek nice looking package and you’ll have as close to an all around rifle as a hunter is likely to find.

Remington model 700 SS BDL RMEF

The rifle I picked was a limited edition Remington model 700 SS BDL RMEF (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation). Part of the proceeds from the sale of these rifles is donated to the RMEF. Remington’s model 700 has a reputation of being very strong and extremely accurate right out of the box. Since I’ve always had good luck with Remington rifles it seemed second nature to pick a Remington.

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Remington uses 416 stainless steel for their stainless rifles with a dull satin finish, which reduces glare and is also pleasing to the eye. The rifle comes from the factory with a camouflage synthetic stock in Real-tree Hardwoods pattern. This stock looks good but leaves something to be desired in its construction. The first change I made was to replace the factory stock with one from H-S Precision. H-S Precision stocks feature a full-length aluminum-bedding block providing a rock solid mounting platform for the action. Not only does this stock fit me a little better than the factory but fully free-floats the barrel from the action forward. Leaving no pressure points to swell or contract due to changes in humidity or weather.

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Shilen’s Standard Trigger

Next was the trigger. The Remington trigger is a good one and can be safely adjusted to acceptable “hunting weight” of pull. Since I was going for the “one hunting rifle” I decided to replace the factory trigger with one from Shilen. Shilen’s “Standard Trigger” is fully adjustable from 1.5 to 3 pounds. I set mine at exactly 2 lbs. and its just right.

Leupold’s Vari-X III 2.5x8x36mm

Leupold’s Vari-X III 2.5x8x36mm is a rugged hunting scope. Offering a good range of magnification and excellent light gathering capabilities in low light. I cheated a little on the base and rings and mounted the scope with a set of Leupold’s QR (quick-release) bases and rings.

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These bases and rings allow the scope to be removed and then replaced without loss of the scopes zero. The 2.5x8x36mm should take most hunting situations in stride. However, developing loads, shooting from a bench, and at times in the field it’s nice to have a higher power than eight. The use of a detachable base and rings really opens the door to versatility. Being able to carry a back-up scope already sighted in or change to a different scope on a hunt provides a level of comfort.

300 Remington Ultra-Mag

I have always been happy with my 30-06 Springfield and 300 Winchester Magnum. When I found this rifle in 300 Remington Ultra-Mag I knew it would have to be a good one. The case is a modern design with a sharp 30 degree shoulder, minimum body taper, and no belt. Not having a belt reduces the chance of the case becoming slightly misaligned in the chamber. I’m a big fan of the 30 caliber and what it brings to the table. Larger frontal diameter than the .270 or 7mm bullets with high ballistic coefficients coupled with a wide range of weights and constructions to meet almost any need a hunter may have.

I put this rifle together with the intention of being able to hunt and cleanly take any game in North America. Properly loaded with the right bullet it should just as easily take a trophy Moose in Alaska, as it should a White-tailed deer in Texas and any game in between.

Hunting Hog & Deer – Worlds Apart

The afternoon of Thanksgiving Day, was a perfect day for hunting. The temperature was in the upper forties with a light breeze blowing and overcast. I was hunting atop a hill over looking an old creek bottom. The bottom had been recently cleared by a logging company, which made the hill an excellent spot to hunt deer. I was hunting with a Desert Eagle-“Lone Eagle” chambered in 7mm-08, using Remington factory ammunition with 140-grain core-loct bullets.

Just before dark I noticed a large animal moving through the goat weeds close to the creek. It was a large black wild boar. He moved through too quickly so I didn’t get a shot. Later I could hear him rooting around, to my right, at the bottom of the hill. The thick under brush and fallen trees blocked my view. So I decided to put the stalk on him. I made my way down the hill to the logging road, where I could move quickly and quietly. As I walked along the road I saw him, and I guess he heard me. So I wasn’t quiet enough. He bolted forward into a horseshoe created by the creek. I hurried after him being as quiet as possible. I reached an opening though a small bunch of trees where I spotted him. He was walking along the edge of the creek. I raised my gun, leveled the crosshairs and fired. Missing him! As the large hog whirled around, I reloaded. He rushed past about twenty-five yards away. I fired again. Hitting him square in the shoulder. He turned hard, heading strait at me. I ducked behind a few saplings, digging in my pocket like Barney Fife for another round. When he reached the roadway, he was only a few feet away and I saw just how big he was, six feet plus in length and over three feet at the shoulder. Thinking he was solidly hit I watched him jump (yes I said jump) over the fence and disappear into the woods. My hunting partner and I tracked him until we lost the blood trail. He was never found. This haunted me for a very long time.

Now we’ve all heard stories of the giant hog, deer, or other game that got away. When this happened it really got me to thinking about this issue. Why is a hog so much tougher than a deer? We, as ethical hunters, should do what we can to ensure quick clean kills on all animals we take. So I did a little research on the differences between hogs and deer. As it turns out a hog and a deer are very different animals when it comes to their anatomy. Deer are on the light end, hogs on the heavy end of the scale. With the hogs range seemingly growing by the day and since I enjoy hunting and eating them, I made a few changes in my guns and loads. To be better prepared the next time out.

Take a mature White-tailed buck… the trophy we all dream about getting some day. In the state of Texas, depending on habitat, food, and population, he’ll probably weigh somewhere between 150 to 200 pounds. The vitals are located right in the middle of the chest cavity, behind the shoulder. Accompany that with thin skin along with a light skeletal structure, and bless his heart, the old White-tailed deer isn’t all that hard to kill. Given it’s a well placed shot from an adequate gun or bow.

On the other end of the scale, there’s the wild boar. Depending mostly on food and population, he will weigh somewhere between 150 pounds to over 400 pounds. The vitals of this animal are located forward in the chest cavity, in relation to a white-tailed deer, where they are very well protected. His skeletal structure is heavy. In fact, as if the shoulder blade itself wasn’t enough there is even more to protect them. The skin is much tougher than a deer’s and the hair is thick and coarse. More times than not there is a layer of hard dry mud caked on the skin form wallowing. A cartilage like plate covers the chest and back. This plate in some cases can be more than two inches thick and is very hard. With all of this added up its around 4 to 6 inches of bone, plate, skin, and mud. Pound for pound hogs have more blood than deer. This explains why the have so much endurance after being hit even with well placed shots. Put all these things together and it’s enough to make you have nightmares. The best kill shot is the head or neck. Placing a bullet somewhere between the eye and the ear will take out the brain and put any hog, no matter how big, down for the count. This sounds good but as we all know you don’t always get a perfect head or neck shot under hunting conditions. The next best is of course the chest, the best-protected place on a hog. I like to put a bullet right thru both shoulders breaking them and getting the heart and lungs. If I can’t get both shoulders I try to place the shot to angle through the chest to take out the vitals and break the off side shoulder. Getting a bullet or arrow through all of the protection Mother Nature has provided the wild hog with is no small task. She did her homework on the cartilage shell. Not only is it thick and hard. It’s resilient and will close up quick on small wounds causing blood trails to dry up; this is why a large exit wound is so important. The size of a hog we are discussing here may or may not be killed instantly with a body shot, if not, a good blood trail makes the difference in whether he will be found or not. Entrance holes aren’t very big whether from a firearm or a bow. An exit wound created by a quality bullet that mushroomed properly will create a large blood channel with substantial blood loss very quickly. If a bullet doesn’t exit it didn’t do its job! Looking back the main mistake I made was the use of load intended for White-tailed deer and other animals in that range. Being placed into the on-side shoulder didn’t help matters either.

If you are like I am, you can’t just run out and buy a brand new gun or bow just to hunt hogs. Although its sounds like a good enough excuse to me. The guns we use to hunt deer are adequate for hogs even the large ones with one simple change, the bullet. Think heavy, and in a handgun thing really heavy. For example in my 30-06 I went to a 165-grain Sierra Boat-tailed Pointed Soft Point instead of the 150-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, a very adequate bullet for White-tailed deer. Since this change I have had good luck on deer and hogs. When Nosler changed the Ballistic Tip to perform more like a soft point I tried the 180-grain in my 300 Winchester magnum and could not be happier. This combination has sent more of the big porkers to the happing rooting grounds than I care to remember cleaning. Like I said in a handgun think big and heavy. The 44 Remington magnum or the 45 Colt (in a strong gun with a heavy load) are excellent choices. I use a 300 Uni-core from Speer or an XTP from Hornady in that same weight in my guns and performance is superb. When using bullets like the Uni-core, that do not expand, you want to hit bone preferably both shoulders. The new Nosler partition HG 45 caliber bullets in 260 and 300-grain look to be winners for the 454 Casull. I’ve always enjoyed hunting with single-shot handguns and hogs are a top prey. The 45-70 Government or 375 Winchester are good choices in a Thompson/Center Contender (now referred to as the G2) or Encore.

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The 350-grain Hornady flat-point is my pick for the 45-70 whether I’m using a T/C Contender or my Marlin “Guide Gun”. In my 375 Winchester I used a 220-Barnes flat-point. The first wild hog I ever killed was with this combination and it leveled him. Not to say other combinations will not work. This is just what I’ve discovered works well for my particular guns and the hunting situations I’m likely to be in. The main thing is to get penetration and cut a large blood channel. Quality construction and heavy weight bullets are the best way to insure success. I’m not an archery hunter (yet) but I have several friends who are, and I’ve helped track hogs shot with a bow. My opinion for archery hunting is to use a fixed blade broad head. Mechanical broad heads cut huge blood channels and exit wounds on deer. The problem is the large blades can deform or hang up on entrance if this happens odds are the arrow will not have enough momentum to exit. I helped track what was probably a 275-pound boar a friend of mine shot in the 1999-2000 hunting season. He was using a mechanical broad head and the arrow didn’t exit. We found the arrow but not the hog. The broad head looked like it had been put though a meat grinder. I’ve heard similar stories since then. The fixed blade broad-heads on the tip of a thick walled arrow seems to work the best.

By using the changes I listed above, I have had equal success on deer as well as hogs. I know when the next time a big tusker steps in front of me I’ll be ready. It’s a good feeling, as a hunter, to have confidence in your equipment when you head to the field. There is no worse feeling than wounding and loosing any game, but there is no better feeling than a good clean humane kill. Whether it’s a trophy or just to fill your freezer.

Hunting Revolvers

Hunting big game with a handgun is a challenging and rewarding experience. Be it with a single-shot chambered in a bottlenecked cartridge capable of delivering long-range accuracy or a big-bore revolver using either open-sights or a scope. Personally I find the latter much more challenging. I’m not knocking the single-shots. I still use them and have owned several over the years chambered in a number of cartridges from the 17 Remington up to and including the 45-70 Government. So I am quite aware of the discipline involved in hunting with and shooting these types of handguns.

Hunting with a revolver requires the hunter to carefully select the proper equipment for his or her hunting situation. Cartridges to consider are the 41 Rem Mag, 44 Rem Mag, 45 Colt (properly loaded), and the 454 Casull, the big four, if you will. Even though all of the rounds have been over shadowed in power by such cartridges as the 475 and 500 Linebaughs and the recently introduced 500 S&W Magnum they are still very effective hunting rounds for game from deer to the largest animals anywhere in the world. These rounds offer the connivance of factory ammunition along with a wealth of components and reloading information available to the hand loader. They are available in both single and double action revolvers from such manufactures as Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Taurus, and Freedom Arms. Common questions when purchasing a revolver for hunting are: single or double action, the finish, grips, what barrel length, and whether to use open sights or a scope?
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Keep in mind; this is not a long-range game 100 yards should be considered a far maximum range with 75 yards and less being preferred. Requiring the hunter to sharpen his or her hunting skill to make best shot possible.

The big four share many similar traits, which make them the top choices as hunting rounds. Strong strait-walled cases with enough powder capacity to drive their respective bullets at impressive game killing velocity, large diameter heavyweight bullets capable of deep penetration creating large exit wounds with massive blood loss for quick humane kills, and all are generally accurate and controllable when fired from a quality revolver. Slow burning powders such as 2400, WW296 and H110 coupled with large magnum handgun primers are the way to go. Except for the 454 Casull, which uses small rifle primers. A heavy roll crimp is strongly recommended on all of these cartridges to keep the bullets from creeping forward under the heavy recoil associated with hunting loads.

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41 Remington Magnum

The 41 Remington Magnum considered by many, as an outcast might very well be the best of the bunch as pure deer cartridge. Bullets commonly range in weights from 170 to 265-grains with velocities 1200-1500 fps. I have seen reloading data for bullets as heavy as 300-grains, but question the effectiveness of bullets this heavy at the velocity the 41 Mag would safely be able to push them.

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If you need bullets this heavy you are better served to go with one of the other three. The best all around cartridge is probably the 44 Remington Magnum with the availability of factory ammo and bullets from 180-grains to the big boys weighing in at well over 300-grains and adequate velocity from all bullets it is a true big game cartridge. If cartridges could talk I would bet the 45 Colt (Long Colt) could tell some hair-raising war and hunting stories. The old round is capable of utilizing bullets from 225 to 340-grains reaching hunting velocities (1200-1400 fps). These types of loads must be fired in a strong revolver such as a Ruger or Freedom Arms. A load this type should never be fired in a Colt Single-action, Colt SA replica, or a Smith & Wesson revolver.

Plain and simple DO NOT ATTEMP THIS! Factory ammunition suitable for hunting is only available from small custom ammo suppliers. However loading data and components are easy to find. In my opinion if you can’t kill it with the 454 Casull, you shouldn’t be hunting it. This cartridge is capable of tremendous power. Try a 260-grain bullet at 1800 fps generating 1871 ft-lbs of energy or a 300-grain at 1625 fps generating 1759 ft-lbs of energy. This ballistic information is from Winchester’s “Supreme” line of ammunition, giving the shooter who prefers factory ammo the use of a premium load with premium bullets. Hand loaders have at their disposal bullets from 225 to 370-grains from various manufactures. This gives the hunter a cartridge to hunt game from deer to as large a game animal as you dare pursue and in the right hands stretch the 100-yard barrier to 150-yard range with a proper rest.

I use both single and double action revolvers for my hunting and really have no preference for one over the other. I will say a double action is not necessary for hunting. A single action will serve every bit as well. When using a double action revolver the gun should the cocked to single action before firing at an animal, this insures a clean and constant trigger pull each time. Double actions do offer the advantage of a swing out cylinder. This makes loading and unloading quick and all charge holes can be viewed at once.

Reducing the chance of a round being left in the cylinder. It’s really more a personal preference on the action you choose, as is the finish. A hunting revolver is subjected to some pretty harsh treatment. Constantly being handled and carried, hunted with during wet weather and not to mention the frequent cleaning during load development. Over time a stainless steel revolver will hold up and look better. To me blued guns are far more pleasing to the eye, although not as practical as a stainless steel gun. The most important aspect is that you are comfortable with the gun and it fits you. There are several aftermarket grips or stocks available, in wood or rubber, to enhance the feel and look of the gun. The grip should fill the hand and position the last joint of the trigger finger comfortably on the trigger without having to alter your grip. Also make sure your hand is not too high or low on the grip. With the proper grip the gun will recoil into the hand and will be quite controllable with hunting loads.

The old rumor about the longer the barrel the more accurate the gun will shoot is not necessarily true. This depends more on the individual gun and the shooter rather than the barrel length. Longer barrels do provide a few advantages over a short barrel, most apparent is a longer sighting distance, this is important when using open sights, also an increase in velocity with a given load and they help to dampen muzzle lift. The trade off is added weight and size. Personally I feel the length of the barrel should follow the intended use of the gun. If it is intended to be the primary hunting gun a length of 6 ½” (minimum) or longer is preferred, for carrying in a belt holster a length of 4” to not over 7 ½” is ideal.

In my collection of hunting revolvers some are open-sighted and some wear a scope. I have taken a few animals using open sights and if you are looking for a challenge you will find it hunting with an open sighted revolver. There are two styles of open-sights I recommend. The first is a front sight with a bright red or white bar. The red or white on the front sight stands out well against the intended target. The second, my favorite all around site, is the “gold bead” or “express bead” front with a “V” notch rear. Similar to the sights found on dangerous game rifles. This style of sight comes up quick, and is quite visible even in low light situations, and allows for much better shot placement than the wide-blade style front sights at distances beyond 20 to 40 yards. In either case the rear sight is fully adjustable and solid black. I find the white-outline on a rear sight to be distracting, distorting the image of the rear notch. One of the major drawbacks to using open sights is, having to focus on the front and rear sights as well as the target all at one time. The addition of a handgun scope will eliminate this issue.

Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm

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The purpose of a scope on a revolver is to sharpen and enhance the target image, transmit light in low light situations, and aid in bullet placement. Not to turn the revolver into a long-range shooting tool. A fixed 2x or 4x will work nicely and will have plenty of magnification for the range capabilities of any of the big four. Fixed power scopes in this range are more compact and lighter than many of the variable handgun scopes on the market today. Thus they are easier to mount and help retain the revolvers overall balance and shoot ability. Handgun scopes endure an incredible amount of punishment, far more than any riflescope ever will. So don’t skimp on the scope, or the base and rings used mount one! As many of you reading this are aware of Ruger offers their revolvers with their own rings for mounting a scope, this is a good mounting system. Recently I was mounting a scope on my Super Blackhawk Hunter and realized that Ruger had changed from the old style flat head screws to a new torx-head screw. Good move, Ruger! If you have the old style flat-head screws, B-Square offers a replacement set with hex-head screws, I strongly recommend these on the Ruger handgun rings. Weigand Combat manufactures and specializes in Weaver-style bases and rings for almost any handgun you would want to mount a scope on. They are nothing fancy just a good solid product and have my seal of approval. When mounting a scope on any handgun I use Gun-Scrubber or plain rubbing alcohol to rub down all the screws, screw holes and surfaces on the gun and rings to remove any grease or oil that may be on them. I then use a drop of blue Gun-Tite on all the screws making sure they all tight. I like to have at least three rings when the bases allow for them and the rings should be spaced to support the scope tube. Unlike a rifle, a scoped revolver doesn’t have a stock to align your eye with the scope. Focusing on an object like a target dot, bring the scope into your line of sight. With a little practice this will make acquiring the target second nature. Remember, practice makes prefect. Once the revolver is sighted in with it’s preferred load it should fired from hunting positions as well as from the bench. This type of practice keeps you sharp and confident with your revolver.

Over time with improved manufacturing processes along with cartridge development and improved bullet designs the revolver has evolved into a serious hunting tool. Looking at a ballistics chart one may be somewhat disappointed in the numbers produced by handgun rounds. Do not forget the formulas used to produce these numbers lend themselves to high velocity rifle rounds. One cannot argue the fact that high velocity does generate impressive killing power. Strait walled handgun rounds like the big four are not capable of producing the high velocities of rifle type rounds, but what they lack in velocity they more than make up for with bullet diameter and weight. A properly placed large diameter heavyweight bullet is an awesome killer. These big bullets retain their momentum after impact with an animal reliably producing large blood channels and exit wounds even on less than perfect angles. A hunter out fitted with a revolver chambered in one of the big four, properly loaded, and proficient in using it is as well armed as any rifle hunter. In some cases even better. All of the cartridges discussed here are proven hunting rounds and should be treated as such. Do not bite off more than you chew. Those unfamiliar with shooting big-bore handguns are well advised to start off with light loads and work up to full power hunting loads. Once full power loads are mastered and you know your effective range with your revolver then you are ready for the field. This type of hunting requires the hunter to take care in setting up the revolver and his or her chosen load. Being aware of that loads performance qualities and placing the shot to utilize those qualities.

Hunting Bullet Guide – 454 Casull

Anyone who has ever fired a handgun chambered in the 454 Casull knows this a real powerhouse of a cartridge. Dick Casull wasn’t kidding around when he began to develop the 454. He built the cartridge from the ground up and, in my opinion, created the best all around (traditional) handgun hunting cartridge to ever be developed.

Handgun Ballistics

Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100
Velocity (fps)	1625	1451	1308
Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100
Energy (ft. lbs.)	1759	1413	1141
Distance (yds)		50	100
Mid Trajectory (in.)		0.5	2.0

When properly loaded a handgun hunter is equipped with a cartridge truly capable of taking game ranging from deer to the largest of dangerous game. Ballistics from a 7 ½” barrel are enough to bring a tear of joy to your eye. Take the ballistics of the popular 44 Remington Magnum loaded with a 240-grain bullet at 1500 fps the 44 Magnum generates 1200 ft. lbs of energy and a 300-grain bullet at 1300 fps generates 1125 ft lbs of energy. Compare these numbers to factory offerings in 454 Casull from Winchester, Remington, and Federal and the performance level of the 454 becomes very clear. Winchester shows a 260-grain bullet at 1800 fps generating 1870 ft lbs of energy, and a 300-grain at 1625 fps generating 1759 ft lbs of energy, that’s an impressive 634 ft lbs more energy than the 44 Remington Magnum with the 300-grain bullet. Remington is now offering a factory load with a 300-grain Core-Lokt bullet charted at the same velocity and muzzle energy as the Winchester load. Federal has joined the party producing a load utilizing the 300-grain Trophy Bonded Bear-claw. It’s nice to see the major ammunition companies producing loads for this fine round and these should only continue grow in the future.

The 454 Casull is a hand loaders dream come true. Cases are tough as nails and will last for a very long time even under the use of heavy loads. One interesting thing about the case is it has a small primer pocket so that small rifle primers may be used. This was done to help contain the high operating pressures associated with the cartridge. Which exceed the 55,000 C.U.P range in some cases. There is no shortage of bullets for the 454, in both weights (commonly 240 to 370-grains) and construction, but like anything else some are better than others. The 454 Casull uses the same diameter bullets (.451-.452”) as the 45 ACP or 45 Colt. The problem being the bullets designed to give reliable performance in the 45 ACP or 45 Colt will not “hold up” to the velocities and operating pressures the 454 is capable of producing. A quick check to the bullet manufactures recommended velocity range and bullet application chart will prevent this from becoming a problem. I’ve experimented with a number of bullets in my 454’s from Sierra, Speer, Nosler, as well as Hornady and a few cast bullets. Sierra’s 300-grain JSP is a thick, heavily jacketed bullet with a 6% antimony core and a wide flat-nose. This bullet gives a solid “whack” upon contact with an animal and penetration is exceptional. Another bullet I’ve used in my 454 with equal results is the Speer 300-grain Uni-Core. This bullet is manufactured using Speer’s patented Hot-Cor process to fuse the bullet core to the jacket. Both of these bullets are super though, capable of standing up to the strains the 454 can dish out and still remain accurate. Nosler produces two bullets a 260 and a 300-grain in their Partition HG line. My best accuracy to date, a 2.5” five shot group at 100 yards, was shot from a rest using the Nosler 260-grain bullet. Cast Performance Bullet Co. produces several hard cast bullets suitable for the 454 and the one I like the best is the 335-grain WLNGC (Wide Long Nose w/ Gas Check). I’ve found WW296 to be the best powder for my uses in the 454 hands down. Separating bullet seating and crimping into two steps is a recommended practice. I also use a Redding Profile Crimp Die to ensure a solid and uniform crimp. This uniform crimp keeps the bullets from creeping forward under the heavy recoil of the 454. Make no mistake the recoil and muzzle blast are on the heavy end of the scale. Hearing protection is a must and some shooters will find wearing a recoil or leather glove will make shooting the 454 far more enjoyable.

It’s hard to speak of the 454 Casull without the mention of the Freedom Arms model 83 Revolver. These 5-shot revolvers are the upper echelon of the firearms world. They may be expensive but you get what you pay for; the best. The strength, manufacturing process, and attention to detail of these guns are second to none. Its worth noting at the time of this writing Ruger, Taurus, and Magnum Research are all building revolvers for the 454 Casull and Thompson Center has barrels for their Encore pistol. Both of my 454’s have been Freedom Arms revolvers. My first was a 7 ½” Premier Grade, scoped with a 2x Leupold EER held in place with a T’SOB base and rings from SSK Industries. This is the gun I shot the 2.5” group with mentioned earlier. The second and my favorite is a 4 ¾” Premier Grade with an action job from the Freedom Arms custom shop. This revolver is Mag-na-ported, and wears an Express Bead sight. Its preferred load consists of a Cast Performance 335-grain WLNGC bullet crimped over a load of WW 296 powder. When I’m in the field this little combination is the one I carry on my hip. Tucked away in a thumb-snap cross-draw holster from Freedom Arms I hardly know I have it unless I need it.

Hunting Bullet Guide – 7mm-08 Remington

The 7mm-08 Remington is a great cartridge for White-tailed deer and should handle any game up to, and including, Mule deer. Standardized by Remington in 1980. It’s based on the 308 Winchester case necked down to accept 7mm (.284) bullets.

Ballistic Coefficient: 0.456
Product Symbol: SBST708
Description: Rapid, controlled expansion. Penetrates thin skin, light muscle and bone. For antelope, deer, black bear.

Rifle Ballistics

Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Velocity (fps)	2770	–	2572	2382	2200	2026	1860
Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Energy (ft. lbs.)	2386	–	2056	1764	1504	1276	1076
Distance (yds)		50	100	150	200	250	300
Short Trajectory (in.)		-0.1	0.0	-1.2	-3.8	-7.9	-13.7
Distance (yds)	100	150	200	250	300	400	500
Long Trajectory (in.)	+1.9	+1.6	0.0	-3.2	-8.0	-23.2	-46.9

140 gr. Supreme® Ballistic Silvertip™

The result, in my opinion, is one the best performing short action cartridges available to hunters and shooters today. Reloading for the 7mm-08 is as simple as any other short action bottlenecked cartridge and case life is excellent. Being (7mm) benefits the hand loader and the shooter who prefers factory ammunition. Offering an excellent choice of bullets and factory loads to choose from. All of the major ammunition manufactures offer loads for the 7mm-08. My best hand load is a 140-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip on top of a healthy dose of Reloader 19. This load will print groups inside an inch on a good day at 100 yards from my Desert Eagle-Lone Eagle. Recoil in a handgun is abrupt but not unmanageable. Muzzle blast is one to note and hearing protection is a must. In a rifle the 7mm-08 is quite accurate and easy to shoot. Muzzle blast and recoil are in the moderate range. I’ve taken several White-tailed deer with my Lone Eagle and the hand load mentioned above never recovering a bullet. This load also performs well on hogs up to 200 pounds or so and should work fine for similar game in this range. Both Remington and Federal offer a 140-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip load for the 7mm-08 in their upper lines of ammunition. I believe the 7mm-08 performs at its peak with a 140-grain bullet and is best suited for White-tailed deer and other game of this size out to 300 yards. Although loaded with a 160 Nosler Partition or Sierra’s SPT BT in same weight. I’m sure you could easily take larger game with careful shot placement.

Hunting Bullet Guide – 45-70 Government

Some cartridges just seem to live forever. Thankfully the 45-70 Government is one of them. It began life in the days of black powder and has evolved over time into the cartridge we know today. After owning and shooting several guns chambered for it it’s easy for me to see why. It’s accurate, easy to reload for, and hits like a freight train.

Ballistic Coefficient: 0.160
Product Symbol: X4570H
Description: Rapid, controlled expansion. Penetrates thin skin, light muscle and bone. For antelope, deer, black bear.

Rifle Ballistics

Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Velocity (fps)	1880	–	1650	1425	1235	1105	1010
Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Energy (ft. lbs.)	2355	–	1815	1355	1015	810	680
Distance (yds)		50	100	150	200	250	300
Short Trajectory (in.)		0.0	-2.4	-8.2	-17.6	-31.4	-51.5
Distance (yds)	100	150	200	250	300	400	500
Long Trajectory (in.)	0.0	-4.6	-12.8	-25.4	-44.3	-95.5	–

300 gr. Super-X® Jacketed Hollow Point

From the muzzle to 150-200 yard range this old cartridge is hard to beat. To really see the true performance of this round you do need to hand load for it though. Factory ammunition lacks the true performance the 45-70 is capable of producing. It seems almost any load will shoot accurately in a rifle or handgun. If you are willing to endure a little punishment, the old 45-70 Govt. will show you the love. Recoil can be heavy but it’s well worth it. Since the 45-70 is a low pressure round the strait walled cases will last for a very long time. The large rim makes it a natural for single shot rifles and handguns. A heavy roll crimp is a must to keep bullets in place under the heavy recoil of a repeating firearm.

I recommend separating bullet seating and crimping into two steps to insure the crimp is solid. Be sure to follow the loading data recommended for the firearm you are using. Most manuals have several levels for the 45-70. Light loads for the old or antique guns, a little heavier level for modern guns such as the Marlin 1895 lever actions, and heavy loads for guns like the Ruger No. 1’s and the Browning 1885. Care should be taken to insure the proper data is being used for your gun. The results of improperly hand loading the 45-70 can deadly. Be careful! The best powders I’ve found so far are Reloader 7 and IMR 3031. As far as bullets, I’ve tried from 300-grain up to a hard-cast 510-grain flat nose. Firing the 510-grain bullets form a 14” Thompson/Center Contender is an experience not soon for gotten. The 300-grain hollow points are common among deer hunters and offer higher velocities than heaver bullets. I’ve used them in the past with good luck in T/C Contenders. They are accurate and hit hard. For deer the 300-grainers are probably the best choice. I used Sierra’s 300-grain hollow point with IMR 3031, in both the 16” and Super 14” Contender barrels I’ve owned. Accuracy from a scoped T/C Contender is phenomenal. Last fall I started using a 350-grain Hornady flat-point in my Marlin 1895 “Guide Gun” with Reloader 7 and now prefer it to the lighter bullet. This load kicks like a mad mule but hits just as hard. I truly believe it will take any game in Texas, or the world for that matter with authority, excluding truly dangerous game. At the time I’m writing this I’ve not tried the 400-grain or heaver bullets in my rifle but plan to try them soon and will update this article once I have a good load. A hunter looking for this type of cartridge but who prefers to shoot factory ammunition, the 450 Marlin is the one. It was developed as a joint effort between Marlin and Hornady to duplicate the performance of heavy loads in the 45-70.

Hunting Bullet Guide – 44 Remington Magnum

This is one of the best cartridges out there for the handgun hunter. In a revolver with a 7 ½” to 10” barrel or a single-shot pistol with a 10” to 14” barrel the 44 Magnum is more than adequate to take game out to 100 yards.
Best price for 44 Magnum ammo

Ballistic Coefficient: 0.158
Product Symbol: X44MHSP2
Description: Rapid, controlled expansion. Penetrates thin skin, light muscle and bone. For antelope, deer, black bear.

Rifle Ballistics

Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Velocity (fps)	1760	–	1362	1094	953	861	789
Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Energy (ft. lbs.)	1650	–	988	638	484	395	332
Distance (yds)		50	100	150	200	250	300
Short Trajectory (in.)		0.0	-2.7	-10.2	-23.6	-44.2	-73.3
Distance (yds)	100	150	200	250	300	400	500
Long Trajectory (in.)	0.0	-6.1	-18.1	-37.4	-65.1	-150.3	-282.5

240 gr. Super-X® Hollow Soft Point

Thanks to the persistent efforts of one Elmer Keith we have the 44 Remington Magnum. It’s a long story but Keith persuaded Remington and Smith & Wesson to produce what he believed would be the perfect round for a six-gun. As a handgun hunter I believe he wasn’t far off. This cartridge is to the handgun hunter what the 30-06 Springfield is to the rifle hunter. The introduction on this round help to define handgun hunting, as we know it today, it has been used to take game all over the world from Jackrabbits to Elephant and countless others in between. No matter what cartridges come along in the magnum handgun world they are judged by the performance the 44 Magnum delivers. Truth is, it’s not a bad standard. The round is accurate with manageable recoil, there is an array of high quality bullets to choose from in weights from 180 to 300+-grains, and almost any type of action will accommodate the 44 Magnum. Chambered in a rifle it is an effective cartridge for woods hunting. Hornady makes a 265-grain flat point designed for 44 Magnum and the velocity it produces in a rifle. Speer’s 270-grain Gold Dot is also a good choice for a rifle. Either of these two bullets will work like a charm in brushy country for hogs or deer. Due to the slower twists in most rifles heavier bullets may not stabilize. That being said, a good friend of mine hand loads a 300-grain Hornady XTP with no problems in his rifle. Bullets of this weight delivered from a rifle, into the vitals, are real hog stoppers. The 44 Magnum is a fine round for a rifle but a handgun is it’s natural habitat. This is one of the best cartridges out there for the handgun hunter. In a revolver with a 7 ½” to 10” barrel or a single-shot pistol with a 10” to 14” barrel the 44 Magnum is more than adequate to take game out to 100 yards. On these types of guns I like to us a scope. A fixed 2x or 4x held it place with a strong set of rings and bases is perfect. This cartridge is also one of my top picks for a “back-up” gun. A 4” to 6” revolver tucked away in a cross-draw or shoulder holster is ideal. The 44-caliber (.429) bullet offers a large frontal diameter and allows for extra weight. The standard load for the 44 Magnum is a 240-grain bullet traveling around 1300-1400 fps from a handgun. This load works fine for deer and similar game where penetration is not an issue. Over the past few years’ however, hunters are beginning to discover the advantages of 300-grain bullets from Hornady, Speer, Nosler, and Seirra. For hunting tough animals, like wild boar, these heavyweight bullets carry much more momentum than the lighter 200 to 240-grain bullets. Making the 44 Magnum a true big game performer. One of my best loads is Speer’s 300-grain “Uni-core” seated to the rear cannelure on top of maximum charge of Winchester 296. A load of this type should only be fired in a strong revolver or single shot like the T/C Contender or Encore. The Speer and Sierra bullets in this weight are very hard and expand very little if any at all. However, they do not lack in the penetration department. One of the first hogs I took with a 44 Magnum was with the 300-grain Sierra out of a 4” revolver. The heavy bullet cut through the sow like a hot knife through butter. These non-expanding bullets are good choices for wild hogs but you want to hit bone. The best shot, if you can get it, is thought both shoulders. The bullets from Hornady and Nosler are hollow points and will give some frontal expansion along with penetration. As a combination deer and wild boar bullet they give the hunter the best of both worlds, expansion and penetration. A hunter looking for a versatile round to hunt a wide spectrum of game will be hard pressed to find a better cartridge. If you are not a hand loader there is definitely a factory load that will fit your needs. If you are a hand loader then the sky’s the limit.

Hunting Bullet Guide – 375 Winchester

Winchester introduced the 375 Winchester in 1978 along with the Model 94 “Big-Bore” lever-action rifle. The “Big-bore” is simply a heavy- duty version of the standard 94. After the success I had with the cartridge in the T/C Contender I found and bought a used 94 Big-bore rifle.

Ballistic Coefficient: 0.215
Product Symbol: X375W
Description: Rapid, controlled expansion. Penetrates thin skin, light muscle and bone. For antelope, deer, black bear.

Rifle Ballistics

Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Velocity (fps)	2200	–	1841	1526	1268	1089	980
Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Energy (ft. lbs.)	2150	–	1506	1034	714	527	427
Distance (yds)		50	100	150	200	250	300
Short Trajectory (in.)		+0.6	0.0	-3.2	-9.5	-19.5	-33.8
Distance (yds)	100	150	200	250	300	400	500
Long Trajectory (in.)	+2.1	0.0	-5.2	-14.1	-27.4	-70.1	-138.1

200 gr. Super-X® Power-Point®

My first experience with the 375 Winchester came one spring afternoon while hunting wild hogs. On this hunt I was using a Super 14” Thompson/Center Contender. Loaded with one of my hand loads using a 220-grain Barnes Flat-point and a maximum charge of Reloader 7. I had seen several hogs that afternoon moving along the tree line. As the evening begin to approach a caught nice boar crossing the open field. Getting a solid rest out of the box blind window I settled the cross hairs on his shoulder and slowly begin to squeeze the trigger. Suddenly the gun bucked and I heard the loud whack as the bullet found its target at 148 long steps. Upon inspecting the boar I found the bullet had broken both shoulders and cut a large blood channel though the chest. I’ve taken several hogs, even a couple over 300 pounds, since then with the same results. Winchester introduced the 375 Winchester in 1978 along with the Model 94 “Big-Bore” lever-action rifle. The “Big-bore” is simply a heavy- duty version of the standard 94. After the success I had with the cartridge in the T/C Contender I found and bought a used 94 Big-bore rifle. Accuracy was quite good. Right around 2” +/- at 75 yards using open sights. Recoil is a little stiff but not as bad as the 444 Marlin or the 45-70 Government in the same weight gun. In my opinion the 375 Winchester is a much better round for hunting deer, wild hogs, or other similar game that the 30-30 Winchester or the 35 Remington. Unfortunately it is not as popular as the before mentioned cartridges. To my knowledge Winchester is the only company to offer factory ammunition for the round. Only two bullet weights are available a 200 and 250-grain flat-nose. I have fired the 250-grain load in my Contender and accuracy was in the 2” range at 100 yards. I never did hunt with this particular load but I’m sure it would do just fine inside 200 yards for any game in Texas. The cartridge is a pleasure to reload. The case is rimed, strait walled and very durable. I never had problems finding bullets but other components are scarce as hen’s teeth. Winchester is the only company that produces brass and it seems only in small numbers. As mentioned before my best hand load used a Barnes 220-grain flat-nose. Performance being what it is with this round it’s hard to understand why it didn’t catch on more than it did in the hunting world. I have owned many single-shot pistols and my T/C Contender in 375 Winchester was one of the best.

Hunting Bullet Guide – 300 Winchester Magnum

The 300 Winchester Magnum is one very impressive rifle cartridge and the first high-powered rifle cartridge I have ever owned that I just fell in love with! Introduced by Winchester in 1963 it is the most popular member of a family of magnum cartridges consisting of the 264, 300, 338, and the massive 458 all introduced by Winchester. The 300 Winchester Magnum’s case, like the other members of its family, is based on shortened version of the H&H case.

Ballistic Coefficient: 0.438
Product Symbol: X30WM2
Description: Delayed, controlled expansion. Deep penetration through thick, tough skin, heavy muscle tissue and bone. For large, heavy game.

Rifle Ballistics

Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Velocity (fps)	2960	–	2745	2540	2344	2157	1979
Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Energy (ft. lbs.)	3501	–	3011	2578	2196	1859	1565
Distance (yds)		50	100	150	200	250	300
Short Trajectory (in.)		+0.5	+0.8	0.0	-2.1	-5.5	-10.4
Distance (yds)	100	150	200	250	300	400	500
Long Trajectory (in.)	+1.9	+1.6	0.0	-2.9	-7.3	-20.9	-41.9

180 gr. Super-X® Power-Point®

Which allows the cartridge to function thru a standard length long action. The case is durable with an overall length of 2.620”, just slightly longer than the 30-06; the minimum body taper, 25-degree shoulder angle, and case neck shorter than caliber maximize powder capacity. Some critics of the cartridge say the short neck hinders accuracy. Trust me, this is not case. The 300 is quite accurate, very powerful, and versatile. Being 30 caliber, the 300 shares the all the advantages of the 30-06 Springfield, only the 300 can do it with more velocity and a flatter trajectory. The trade off for the added velocity and flatter trajectory are more powder, heavier recoil, and increased muzzle blast. The 300 Winchester is defiantly not a cartridge for the faint at heart, but one that can’t be mastered with practice. Recoil is sharp and quick even in a heavy rifle like the Remington 700 “Sendero”, which is the gun I own. I can’t really tell there is anymore “push” in this rifle than what I feel from a standard weight rifle chambered in the 30-06 with a heavy load. From a lighter gun say a Remington 700 BDL or Ruger M-77 it is quite noticeable and some shooters may require a muzzle brake. I’m not a fan of brakes and would recommend shooting a rifle in this cartridge before having one installed. Accuracy is one department where the 300 can really shine, producing some excellent groups. My rifle will consistently print groups in the 1” range, and even smaller on a good day, with it’s preferred load. I hand load Nosler’s 180-grain Ballistic Tip over a maximum load of Reloader 22 powder. I use a Remington case that is only neck sized and Federal’s 215 “Gold Medal” magnum primers. Two friends, Bill Pirkle and Cody Crawford are also using this same load in their rifles with the same result. Accuracy is only the tip of the iceberg with the 300; field performance is even better. Trajectory with a 180-grain bullet is outstanding, seemingly riding a tight string to the target. Sighted in 1 ˝” high at 100 yards the bullet is dead on at 200, only 6” low at 300, and retaining almost 2600 ft-lbs of energy. Making it one of the best cartridges for hunting North America. I originally bought mine for hunting wild hogs and White-tailed deer in open food plots surrounded by thick woods and marsh lands where long shots are more common than not. In this type of hunting situation, “The Big Bad Wolf” as it has come to be known, has never let me down. Given I have done my part. I’ve cleanly taken a number of wild hogs with my 300 ranging from small to well over 350 lbs and all with the same result. A quick and powerful one shot kill.

Hunting Bullet Guide – 30-06 Springfield

The 30-06 Springfield is almost 100 years old, it was developed in 1903 but the current dimensions weren’t standardized until 1906. It was originally called “ball cartridge, caliber .30, model of 1906”. You would have to be pretty long winded to tell someone you shot a deer with “ball cartridge, caliber .30, model of 1906”. “30-06”seems to work just fine when telling a hunting story.

Ballistic Coefficient: 0.347
Product Symbol: S3006XA
Description: Delayed, controlled expansion. Deep penetration through thick, tough skin, heavy muscle tissue and bone. For large, heavy game.

Rifle Ballistics

Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Velocity (fps)	2800	–	2540	2295	2063	1846	1645
Distance (yds)	Muzzle	50	100	200	300	400	500
Energy (ft. lbs.)	2873	–	2365	1930	1560	1249	992
Distance (yds)		50	100	150	200	250	300
Short Trajectory (in.)		-0.1	0.0	-1.2	-3.9	-8.2	-14.4
Distance (yds)	100	150	200	250	300	400	500
Long Trajectory (in.)	+2.0	+1.7	0.0	-3.4	-8.6	-25.3	-52.3

165 gr. Supreme® Fail Safe®

After serving its time a military round it has become the top sporting cartridge in US history. The reason for this is versatility and performance. Excluding Brown Bears in North America and the likes of Cape or Asian buffalo through out the world the 30-06 can handle any game a hunter may peruse. It seems there are more bullet weights and configurations for the 30 caliber (.308) than there are fish in the sea. This is also true with factory loads for this fine round. I’ve even seen boxes of ammunition for the 30-06 at feed stores in West Texas. This is comforting to know if your 300 miles from home and realize you’ve forgotten your shells. At the time the 30-06 came along, the hunting world was using such cartridges as the 30-30 Winchester and the 30-40 Krag. Based on the ballistics, case life, and performance on game of these and other rounds the introduction of the 30-06 Springfield to the hunting world was a real revelation. Looking at the paper ballistics of the now popular 7mm and 30 caliber magnums one may think the 30-06 is lacking by today’s standards. Let’s not forget it set the standard. Having a durable, easy to load case has made it one of the most used cases by wildcatters and ammunition manufactures for new cartridges. The majority of long and short action standard cartridges we use today are based on the 30-06’s case. The 270 Winchester, 25-06 Remington, 308 Winchester and even the 22-250 Remington, in a round about way, just to name a few. Almost every big game cartridge that has been introduced since the 30-06 Springfield, standard or magnum, has been judged off the old 30-06’s performance. This performance I keep mentioning is no accident. The cases powder capacity balances well with the 30 caliber bullets giving the hunter an adequate and efficient hunting round. Combine the bullets frontal diameter with quality construction, along with 2600 to 3000 fps and you have one well-rounded cartridge for hunting. When loaded with the proper bullet the 30-06 is as suited for Elk as it is White-tailed deer. Hunters looking for an all around cartridge to hunt many different types of game will be well outfitted with the 30-06. When you look at trajectory, foot- pounds of energy, and felt recoil the 30-06 meets all the requirements we really need, as hunters, in the real world. In a hunting situation 300 yards is a long way. After that judging distance becomes quite tricky at best with out the help of a range finder. Even if the distance is known other elements such as wind, finding a solid rest, and unpredictable animal movements make shots over 300 yards risky. No matter how flat or fast a cartridge may shoot. The load I concocted for my 30-06 consists of a 165-grain Sierra Boat-tailed Pointed Soft Point bullet with IMR 4350 powder. This load sighted in at 2” high at 100 yards is just 8” low at 300 yards. Plenty flat enough to keep a bullet in side the kill zone of any White-tailed deer or wild hog. Carrying just over 1700 foot-pounds of energy at 300 yards it’s plenty of rifle for Texas. This load fired from a full size rifle (8 ½ -9 lbs.) isn’t exactly comfortable shoot, but recoil is not to bad. One of the largest deer I’ve ever seen while hunting was taken using this load with little problem. A big Texas White-tail scoring 165 5/8 B&C points and weighing 185 lbs. Earlier that same morning I took a 270+ lbs. wild boar. Dropping him in his tracks without even the slightest squeal. After taking these big boys, I have the utmost confidence in using my 30-06 anytime anywhere.