Life isn’t always fair. It’s possible to spend an entire lifetime of hard hunting and never get a chance at a truly fantastic, world-class trophy. It’s also possible to take a Boone and Crockett whitetail on the very first outing. The strange nature of hunting is that, while both effort and technique certainly count, ultimately there is a major element of random chance that places a great animal and a hunter in proximity at the same time.

That is a question I get a lot. Sometimes it is from folks who have little or no shooting experience and sometimes it is from folks who just want me to tell them that the latest weapon they have chosen wasn’t a really stupid choice.

Friends, I don’t have an ambiguous bone in my body but I cannot give you an answer without more input. Even then I don’t usually make specific make and model recommendations for I cannot know the totality of your circumstances or, without spending at least a day on the range with you, your skill level. It is truly a case of the Biblical admonition to “work out your own salvation”. All I can do is report on what you might expect to find, but you will have to go shoot the guns and do more study on your own in order to make an informed decision.

You can’t pick up a magazine, read a newly published book, or even stand around a water cooler these days without hearing something about such and such a “blogger” somewhere. If you are not familiar with actual blogs, they vary in content from daily mumblings to extremely formal news delivery. Some writers check in once a day, some several times a week, and some not very often, but when they do they have something to say.

If you are reading this, there is a pretty good chance that you missed Winter Range 2010 in Phoenix this year. A picture is worth a 1000 words, and I am too tired from having more fun than a cowboy should be allowed to have at this world class shooting event to explain to you all the great times that we had. Here is a brief “diary” account of what it is like to get ready for, and then go both work and shoot Winter Range. If you are new to Cowboy Action Shooting, you can get more information at the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) website. There is an introductory video to SASS on GunsAmerica TV here.

Choosing the optimal bullet seating depth for your firearm when handloading is very important. It can significantly affect both accuracy and functioning. Even within the same caliber and even within the same brand there have always been large differences in chamber design. Different chambers may all “fit” a factory cartridge, but there will be a difference in the distance between the back of the cartridge to exactly where the bullet engages the rifling after leaving the mouth of the case upon firing. This measurement can vary greatly within the official SAAMI caliber specification. Factory ammunition will be loaded to the shortest of the specification, so that it will chamber in all guns for that caliber without jamming into the rifling as the action is closed.

I am of the school that today’s modern Glock is the absolute “perfect” pistol. Let’s face it, the Glock is today’s police service weapon of choice, with more agencies carrying it than any other weapon. Above that, it is a top choice for civilian shooters. It is simple, reliable, and pretty much idiot proof as it comes right out of the box. As for me, the Glock passes my personal test for a combat weapon: draw, pull trigger, gun goes “bang”, bullet comes out (the correct end of course) and with proper aiming, the bullet hits bad guy. The Glock does this with stone cold reliability, every time.

Let’s start this month with a question. It may not be the best writing form, but let’s go for it.

Is there a way to correct your shooting vision without corrective lenses, without a scope, and with nothing more than a plain iron sight? And no, I’m not going to give you the answer right away.

In this time of war there is no room for second rate shooting. Exceptional marksmanship that was once expected of the elite, Special Operations and Infantry Sharpshooters, is now expected of every soldier. Today’s United States Army is considered the most lethal army the world has ever seen, and it is largely due to a more lethal Soldier who has undergone the most effective training in history. Training is the backbone of good shooting. And at the heart of marksmanship training in the US Army is the US Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU). Through “train the trainer” workshops, direct training of experienced units, recruiting assistance and community outreach, the USAMU acts as a “force multiplier” for the Army, and it is considered one of the most unique units in the entire US Army.

Located at Ft. Benning, Georgia, the USAMU trains for international shooting competitions while carrying out their duties as active duty soldiers as marksmanship trainers. The unit consists of current world champions, including Olympic world champions, and the members of the unit compete in every major international shooting competition the world over. They usually win, and for that reason the USAMU is referred to as “The Home of the Champions.”

The line between having a gun or two and becoming a collector is a fine and blurry one . . . and that is the magic of it all. You do not need a large bank account or carved-in-stone criteria to be a collector. We could use Webster to find a definition of a “collection”, but because I am writing this, I will make one up to suit. To me, a “collection” of guns and/or related items is simply when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. There is more good news, that “greater” need not be in my eyes or in the eyes of formal collectors or organizations; but in your eyes only. If, over time, you choose wisely there is a very high probability that your collection will please someone else also; and it may be a very good financial investment. With that in mind let’s look at the mental process that can lead you down the road to safe and happy collecting.

There should be two overriding criteria when you begin to invest. First, buy what you like. That is, do not try to keep up with the “Joneses.” Just because someone has a fine collection of all Damascus Nambus, or gold inlaid Iver Johnsons it does not mean that these would be right for you.