Firearms

The Browning X-Bolt Western Hunter 28 Nosler is not your grandpa’s huntin’ rifle. There’s no wood anywhere. Rather, it’s a sleek, smooth, and lightweight magnum that is capable of the longest shots. That’s not to say it’s not attractive. It is.

Once I had picked up the rifle from a local sporting goods store, it was time to add a scope and the various accouterments to turn it into a legitimate all-weather hunting rifle, capable of holding its own no matter what Mother Nature throws at it.

Are you tired of not being able to go to the range with your buddies? How about being sick of missing and wounding game? If you want to rid yourself of target panic and have the most successful fall of your life when it comes to making clean, ethical kills, read on.

A team of shooters with varying experience went through, shot, and evaluated four, mid-range priced rifles from Mossberg, Savage, Howa, and CVA to see just what kind of bang for your buck you get in a mid-priced rifle.

There are as many differing opinions on what makes a great western hunting rifle, as there are western hunters.

When my new-for-2019 Mathews Vertix arrived with a QAD rest attached to the face of the riser and not mounted to the bow’s Berger hole, my mind was truly blown.

When I unboxed the Predator, I found a skinny little tapered barrel, a light composite stock, and a surprisingly smooth action. I say surprising because there was really nothing remarkable about the rifle other than the action. Admittedly, I did not have high expectations for the predator. It is a deceptively modest gun. Can a rifle that retails for less than $500 makes hits at 1,000 yards?

I ordered a new .410 shotgun and a selection of shells, did some testing and patterning, and then headed afield to see if I could bring down a tom or jake with the little-bitty scattergun.

I’m always a bit skeptical when a new broadhead arrives on my doorstep for testing. Though I loved the packaging — these heads had a lot to prove to live up to the hype surrounding them.