Firearms

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.

The Ultralight Hunter was designed for hunting, but the author believes the rifle would be equally adept in a home-defense role loaded with the right 300 HAM’R ammunition.

Today, anything you buy from Christensen Arms has at least a sub-MOA guarantee and many of the models carry a ½ MOA guarantee. That’s an impressive feat for rifles that are extremely lightweight.

The Prime Logic CT3 met and surpassed my expectations, and it definitely gets my stamp of approval.

In part three let’s take a detailed look at the remaining essential gear, as well as great backcountry rifle setups. Remember; good quality gear lasts longer, works better, and offers the best chance of keeping you alive when the chips are down.