Most Expensive Rifle: Meet the Barrett Model M82A1 – The Colt AR-15 remains in the cross-hairs of politicians including President Joe Biden, who has vowed to do everything in his power to ban the sale of the most popular firearm; as well as the entire category of modern sporting rifles. However, there is another rifle that has long been targeted by lawmakers and gun control advocates who apparently fear what they don’t understand.

That firearm is the Barrett Model 82A1, the first and only semi-automatic .50 caliber rifle produced to date. It is also the most expensive firearm currently in production – at least one that can (mostly) be owned by civilians.

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Spotlight on the Barrett

There have been big bore rifles since the First World War, but all were bolt action. However, in the early 1980s former professional photographer, Ronnie Barrett, became intrigued with the idea of developing a semi-automatic rifle that could fire the .50 BMG round. In 1982, he launched the Tennessee-based Barrett Firearms and set about creating such a weapon.

The result was the Barrett M82 sniper rifle, and it was as innovative as it was powerful – and arguably as expensive. Today, a Barrett M82A1 will cost upwards of $8,000.

The shoulder-fired, semi-automatic rifle was designed around the .50 BMG cartridge, and unique among firearms of the time the Barrett rifle’s barrel recoiled backward after firing. A rotating-lock breech block equipped with an accelerator arm used part of the recoil energy to push back the block on firing. This cycled the action, cocked the firing pin, and loaded a new round from a ten-round steel magazine.

The Barrett M82 offered a solution to a problem the military really didn’t know it had, which was how to use a rifle that could shoot nearly a thousand yards. In fact, the U.S. military didn’t immediately see any need for Barrett’s design. Fortunately, Barrett did convince the Swedish Army to adopt the weapon, and that was reportedly enough to keep the company afloat.

Then in 1990, the United States military became involved in Operation Desert Shield and while preparing for Operation Desert Storm, the liberation of Kuwait, and the invasion of Iraq, the U.S. Marine Corps acquired 125 of the rifles. Orders from the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force soon followed. The M82 was adopted as the SASR – Special Applications and Scoped Rifle – and it proved its worth in Operation Desert Storm.

Official State Rifle of Tennessee

Since the founding of the United States, there had been a “long rifle” tradition in Kentucky and Pennsylvania of naming an official firearm of the state. Not wanting to be left out, in 2016, the Barrett M82 became Tennessee’s official state rifle. It joined a long list of other honorary state symbols, including the state flower, state tree, and even state rock.

Yet, not everyone was pleased that the rifle had gained such respect.

Gun control advocates expressed concerns that it would be used against light armor, helicopters, and even commercial aircraft. Some suggested it was the “perfect assassination weapon” or that it could be used by terrorists – even as the planes on 9/11 were taken over with little more than box cutters. Yet, the concern was so great that the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence called for a ban on civilian ownership of the Barrett rifle, while the New York State Senate even attempted to pass legislation to ban the sale and civilian ownership of the firearm in the Empire State.

Yet, to date, it hasn’t been employed in any nefarious ways by U.S. citizens – although there are reports that some M82s bought by the Mexican military have been used by the drug cartels, so too have weapons that no civilian can buy, including AT4s and Javelin anti-tank rocket launchers.

Moreover, despite its capabilities, the M82 still requires training to be able to hit anything at distance – not to mention it remains the most costly firearm on the market today. And then there is the fact that each round, which isn’t readily available at most gun shops, also costs upwards of $5 per shot!

A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,000 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.

William W (Bill) Gabbard

What is the best caliber for deer hunting?

This question has been discussed over campfires, in hunting camps, and during Monday morning quarterbacking sessions for ages! I watched two co-workers nearly ruin a good friendship over the difference in a 243 Winchester and a 6MM Remington. A fellow that I used to work with had a 264 Winchester Magnum named “Big Joe” that in his mind was the only viable caliber for deer hunting.

When I started deer hunting in the 1970s, most of my friends either used a 30-06 or a 30-30. A few folks used a 243 Winchester (the smallest caliber that was legal for deer hunting in Kentucky at that time), a couple of fellows that I knew used a 270 Winchester, and one guy used a 280 Remington. The guy with the 280 handloaded because of the limited availability of ammo. Back then, no one that I knew used a “magnum” anything for deer hunting. Magnums were what those folks that went out west used!

Boy how times have changed! When I began this article, I asked many friends of mine who deer hunt what caliber they used and why they thought it was the best. The variety of calibers used has expanded greatly in the last 40 years. Just from my friends and family, the list now goes from 222 Remington to 300 Remington Ultra Magnum. I personally have killed deer with rifles ranging from 204 Ruger to 300 Win Mag. The reasons for this change are many and could possibly be an article all its own, but let’s look at what hunters are using now and why. Keep in mind that I am not attempting to cover every caliber available, so if I miss your favorite, let us know what it is and why it’s your favorite.

204 Ruger

While this round will kill deer, is exceptionally accurate, and has almost no recoil, I cannot recommend it for deer hunting. The bullets are just a little too light and not constructed heavily enough to hold together for clean consistent kills.

222 Remington

Henley McIntosh, a cousin of mine, loves this round and has killed several deer with it. But again, due to the light bullets in most factory ammo, I would only recommend it in the hands of a competent marksman.

223 Remington

Randy Bryant, Vice President of the local Sportsman’s Club and competitive shooter, is a big fan of the 223 using heavy bullets in an AR style rifle. He is hunting at fairly close ranges and is a great shot. Bullet selection is critical if using the 223 for deer hunting.

243 Winchester

More than one of the folks surveyed said that this is their number one choice for deer. Ashley Sandlin, local Deputy Sherriff, said that it kills good, doesn’t kick, and that her kids love to borrow it when they go hunting. Henley Mcintosh stated that this was probably the best all-around caliber because of lack of recoil, accuracy, and all the energy is used up in the deer. My brother, my granddaughter (Maddi Mastin) and lots of other folks mentioned 243 in their answer.

244/6mm Remington

Very similar to the 243 Winchester but limited availability of factory ammo is an issue.

257 Roberts

A wonderful caliber for deer but hardly anyone in my circle of friends even mentioned it. A good friend of mine who passed away a few years ago loved this caliber for its accuracy and lack of recoil. Limited supply of readily available factory ammo is a shortfall.

25-06 Remington

Another old classic that seems to be getting passed by these days has great accuracy, light recoil, and great long-range capabilities. Trish Bishop has tried different calibers but keeps coming back to her 25-06.

6.5 Grendel

Jon Allen of Nighthawk Tactical Solutions uses the Grendel on hogs and is planning to deer hunt with it this year. Jon says accuracy (which I must back him up on), almost no recoil, as well as dramatic kills have him excited about this caliber. My granddaughter Maddi is already eyeing my bolt-action Grendel. The growing supply of ammunition, and choices of types of bullets and the ability to use AR style rifles as well as bolt guns are all positives for the Grendel.

6.5 Creedmoor

The Creedmoor has taken the hunting world as well as the shooting world by storm. While none of my folks surveyed have taken a deer with this caliber, at least four said that they are planning to use it this year. Most are citing accuracy, long-range capabilities, and light recoil as their reason. Gun-Nut Dustin Cooper has killed deer with 243, 270, 30-06 and 300 Win Mag and said, “I just want to see what it does on a big ol buck.”

260 Remington

Mike Gross, custom gun builder and competitive shooter, uses a Model 7 Remington in 260. Light recoil, incredible accuracy and “drop in their tracks” kills are his reasons.

264 Winchester Magnum

I must mention the 264 out of respect to my friend Dexter Evans, as it is the only caliber he recognizes. As far as I know, the Remington Sendero SF II is the only production rifle currently available, and factory ammo is limited.

270 Winchester

This long-time favorite was mentioned by several folks. The 270 has been available as a factory round since 1925 and is showing no signs of letting up. Extremely accurate, incredible kills, long-range capabilities, manageable recoil, incredible variety, and ready availability of factory ammunition are on its long list of attributes. It is available in bolt action, pump, semi-auto and even lever action rifles.

7mm-08 Remington

The cross between a 243 and a 308 the 7mm-08, offers an incredible array of possibilities. This caliber has a tremendous following and for good reason. Paul Johnson mentioned the amount of versatility in tailoring loads, lack of recoil, incredible accuracy and great knock-down power. Carl Cooper laid down his 300 Win Mag for the 7mm-08 because of the lighter recoil and plans to never look back because of the killing power of the little round. Phyllis Cornett likes it because of the accuracy and lack of recoil. Mossy Oak’s Walt Gabbard said, “It is still hard to beat the 7mm-08.”

280 Remington

While the 280 has never seen the commercial success that the 270 Win has, most gun writers agree that it is ballistically superior to the 270. Factory ammo is available with bullets ranging from Norma’s 125 gr to Remington’s 165 gr. The availability of ammo from online and big box outdoor stores are just a few of the reasons that this great caliber is staying alive.

7mm Remington Magnum

This is the caliber that a many choose when they first get a case of “Magnum Fever.” The choices in factory ammo are staggering as are the options in building a suitable handload. The 7mm, as most folks call it, is accurate and hard hitting making it a favorite. When Walt Gabbard was 14, he got his first case of “Magnum Fever” when he killed an 8-point buck. Its only drawback is that with a poorly designed or ill-fitting rifle stock, the 7mm Rem Mag can be a little bit uncomfortable to shoot.

30-30 Winchester

The 30-30 was one of the most popular calibers around years ago and it is still hanging in there. However, based on my small sample of local hunters, not nearly as many folks use it now. Retired U.S. Army Colonel Brad Turner is still a fan though. Col. Turner stated that where he hunts 100 yards is a long shot and the 30-30 still drops them in their tracks!

308 Winchester

The 308 is one of the most popular calibers around, and there are plenty of reasons. Accuracy, long-range capabilities, good knock-down, manageable recoil, an incredible array of choice for factory loaded ammo as well as an almost endless list of components for the hand loader are just a few. The 308 is available in bolt, pump, lever, and single shot as well semi-auto rifles. Sheriff Kelly Shouse quickly replied 308 when asked what his favorite deer caliber was, an answer that was echoed by his son Hunter, as well as Benny Gabbard and his son Ben. Several others mentioned it as their second choice.

30-06

The old 30-06 has been around since 1906 and is still extremely popular. Several people mentioned it as their all time favorite or as their second choice. Availability of ammo, knockdown power, and just about any style of rifle being available are among the first attributes listed for the 06. Its only drawback can be recoil if it is in an ill-fitting stock.

300 Winchester Magnum

You might be surprised by the number of hunters that use the 300 as their primary deer rifle. An exceptional round for long range, it gives no quarter in performance on whitetail. When paired with the proper rifle and proper bullet weight the 300’s main drawbacks would be recoil and that a fairly long barrel is required to maximize its performance. Gary Deaton, Mike Gabbard and Hank Patton, all accomplished deer hunters, can usually be seen carrying well-worn 300 Win Mags that they are very comfortable with. Patton said, “I just love watching them smack the ground at the drop of the hammer, no tracking involved.” 300 Remington Ultra Magnum

Only one of my friends uses this caliber. Jamie Thomas said that hands down this is his favorite. “It flat kills – no tracking, no chasing. I pull the trigger and the game is over!” Limited selection of factory ammo and recoil are the only two downsides to this caliber.

This article is not a scientifically researched article quoting feet per second and foot pounds of energy retained at specific distances. It is a collection of observations calling on the knowledge of experienced and successful deer hunters. Each of the hunters that I have discussed here fits this description. Some of them have been deer hunting for more than 50 years, while some are new to the sport. So my conclusion to the best caliber of deer hunting is the caliber your centerfire rifle with properly constructed bullets will shoot comfortably. It is every hunter’s responsibility to be familiar with and know the capabilities and limitations of their rifle in order to become proficient with it.

Oh, and to the guy in the back there asking, “Hey Bill what do you use,” I always put a lot of thought into what I am going to hunt with, accuracy, energy, my comfort level with the rifle and for the past 12 years here in Kentucky, I reach in the vault and pull out the same rifle. An old Remington 700 chambered in 7mm Weatherby Magnum. Nobody else I know hunts with one, but it shoots 0.3 in groups with my handloads, just fits me, recoil is not an issue and results on the other end are incredible!

Chris Parkin puts the Bergara B14 to the test and discovers an accomplished, all-round rifle that is reasonably priced too!

PROS: Excellent trigger and overall build with intelligent stock design; The barrel showed good thermal stability with a hot cartridge burning 80gr of powder; Not light, but not too heavy for an occasional stalking trip with a biathlon sling; Stable recoil manners with or without the moderator; Very good value for money

CONS: No Left Hander

VERDICT: I really liked the 6.5 Creedmoor short action HMR, and this big boomer shows how inherently sound the overall design is when submitted to more recoil. I can’t wait to see the short 22-250 which will be a cracking varminter

TECH SPECS

Overall length – 1200mm/47.25”

Weight – 4.6kg/10.2lbs

Magazine capacity – 5+1

Trigger – Single stage, 950gr break

Barrel length – 660mm/26”, 1 in 10” twist, button Rifled

Stock material – Injection moulded polymer with integral aluminium bedding block and skeleton

Length of Pull – 335mm/13.2”- 365mm/14.4”

RRP

Bergara BMP 6.5 Creedmoor – £1127

Kahles K624i – £2550.00

Hausken WD60, Tier One Picatinny rail and 34mm Rings, RWS, Norma and GECO Ammunition

Contact – RUAG, 01579 362319, www.ruag.co.uk

ALSO USED

Hornady 165 GMX and BTSP Interlock ammunition

Hornady Edgar Brothers 01625 613177 www.edgarbrothers.com

IN DEPTH TEST AND REVIEW

After shooting B14 sporting rifles and the BMP chassis rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor, I was fortunate to be loaned an HMR in the same calibre for a longer trial and video review. The HMR format impressed me as much as I suspected it would when I first saw it at the British Shooting Show in 2017.

I heard a lot of chatter about a long-action version chambered in .300 Win Mag which was set to appear in the US to massive fanfare – the Creedmoor was already showing sales beyond Bergara’s manufacturing capacity.

The .300 WM appeared at BSS 2018 and I was quick to get one ordered. It shows the same build and differences as the regular short-action rifle does to a Remington 700, with a single-stack magazine holding five rounds being the only difference other than bolt travel.

A 26” No.5 profile barrel (19mm at the muzzle) is an ideal companion for a longer-range rifle hoping to achieve the most velocity from a cartridge burning around 80gr of powder and driving .30-cal bullets from 110 to 230gr, a 180-grainer likely to be projected at a speed approaching 3,000 feet per second (914m/s).

The stock is an injection-moulded polymer vertical grip design showing similar ergonomics to a Macmillan A5. It has an adjustable cheekpiece with forceful thumbscrew to lock it in place and marking lines on the front post to indicate position.

You can shoot thumb up or wrapped around the vertical pistol grip carrying moulded stippling. Three 10mm spacers are fitted to adjust length of pull between the maximum 365mm (14.4”), down to 335mm (13.2”) which will suit most shooters. Reach to the single-stage trigger is perfectly specified, allowing your index finger pad to sit relaxed with a trigger pull directed toward the centre of the recoil pad in your shoulder for minimal aiming disturbance. Any aftermarket Remington compatible unit will fit but you are unlikely to need it: mine had a fraction of discernible creep that soon bedded in to virtually nothing with a reliably predictable break of 950g.

The twin-lug bolt opens 90° to cycle the action with an oversized, conical bolt-handle to speed up processing, adding leverage with less disturbance to the rifle’s aim. There are no ‘three rings of steel’ so famously advertised by Remington, but the action shows a single Sako-style extractor claw rather than the internal circlip of its forefather.

Primary extraction of the large 62,000 Psi (CIP) belted magnum is plentiful, although the sprung plunger in the bolt-face is quite delicate in its ejection, the cases not thrown more than 30cm laterally from the gun (a factor I also found on the Creedmoor even with its smaller, lighter case).

The action and floorplate are seated within the stock with a recoil lug sandwiched at the front between the receiver and threaded barrel. I like the Bergara update of enclosing this lug within the action’s face to ensure it will return exactly to position if you ever have a barrel change. I especially like the aluminium skeleton moulded within the polymer stock, extending from the grip to the tip of the fore-end from the machined bedding block the action sits in. Twin-action screws fasten everything in place and I was pleased to see no stress applied to the action when they were tightened to 65”/lb.

Each round is push-fed from the magazine up the feed ramp into the chamber and, like all long-action rounds, feed and reliability is that little bit more assured than shorter cases with a correspondingly shorter overall length to jump the ‘moat’ formed by the bolt’s locking abutments.

RUAG kindly supplied me with a full armoury of Tier-One scope rings and Picatinny rail (screwed to the action with four bolts) as well as a Kahles 624i FFP optic well suited to some long-range steel plate shooting.

I also had two Hausken sound moderators, the larger of which, a Hunter WD 60 still weighing only 414g for its 224mm length, does a fantastic job of reducing both noise and recoil. I have shot .300 WM for nearly 10 years and am well aware of its character – this moderator really impressed me!

Ammunition came from RWS, Norma (180gr Oryx), GECO (180gr SP) and Hornady (165 GMX) with a selection of polymer tipped and spitzer bullets in the 165-180gr region. These were all designed for hunting and tested for accuracy on paper to assure me of the gun’s likely capability, because were I to be seriously shooting long range, I would use a 200gr+ bullet with a B.C. above 0.6 to make the most of the .300’s capability. Unless you use 300gr bullets in a .338 Lapua, the plain old .300 can cope well out beyond 1,000m and be pushed as far as a mile, although that is stretching things significantly.

My own .300 WM driving a 208gr Hornady A-Max closely mirrors the ballistics in terms of windage and drops of my .260 Rem shooting a 139gr load to about 1,200m, yet the recoil is the major difference with the .300. I shot with the WD60 in place for most of the test as it tamed the stout cartridge well and wasn’t as disturbing as a braked muzzle.

I spent a lot of time at 300m which will interest those wanting to use such a rifle for long-range culling. None of the ammo was cloverleafing on paper at 100m, yet none threw flyers either. I did get the gun quite hot with some 15 and 20 round strings (in very cold wind chill conditions) to show the thermal consistency of Bergara’s steel.

If I were handloading, I’m confident this would have been improved upon and could have been tailored to my needs, but the 26” tube showed good velocity with little point of impact shift between any of the ammunition types at 100m.

180gr GECO developed 959m/s (3,147 fps/3,959 ft/lb), the largest energy output with the similar 180gr Oryx lagging a little with 882m/s (2,894 fps/3,348 ft/lb). Hornady 165gr GMX developed 957m/s (3,141 fps/3,615 ft/lb) with the best consistency out to 400m for elevation and wind resistance on steel targets but none were a disappointment.

After a good clean, a second experiment on paper actually showed some RWS Doppelkern to have the most consistent accuracy, with two sequential cloverleaf groups of five rounds, whereas all the rest stuck into the ¾” bracket and stayed that way.

I wouldn’t normally have set off to the range to shoot over 100 rounds of .300, but this gun was a soft shooter. The heavier bullets were detectable with a shade more recoil, but even so, the superb moderator and versatile length of pull adjustment in the stock allowed repetitive hold, aim and recoil control, and the trigger was a blessing.

To be honest, I would like to have kept the 6.5 Creedmoor HMR as it just oozed reloading potential and the .300 did too. Neither are expensive rifles for what they are capable of if paper and steel are your game.

On the other hand, all the ammo tested was reliable for any realistic hunting and the gun, although bulkier than a sporting rifle, was a good compromise for occasional use on game from static positions. It did shoot accurately from quad sticks with the rear butt hook wedging into position, but the steady push of recoil did lose your sight picture from a standing shot on sticks.

Fore-end stiffness was assured and the free float never wavered. If you are of bigger build, this gun might suit you perfectly for stalking as the generous length of pull without undue weight does nicely for long stalks on the hill with a biathlon sling, but it is never going to be a fast, pointable woodland rifle.

At a base weight of 4.6kg, you can add another 2.5kg for a suitable scope, mounts, bipod and moderator. With the base rifle at 47.25” long before you add a moderator (totalling 1,360mm), think carefully!

In this article, I’m going to show you seven quick and delicious ways to add that all-important fat to your ground beef.

Let’s get straight to the juicy bit.

How do you add fat to lean ground beef? The best way to add fat to lean ground beef is to use beef back fat (tallow). Ensure the tallow and beef are cold before mixing them together. An easy fix is to grate butter or cheese into the beef. Or mix in a fattier meat like sausage or chorizo.

Ways to add fat to ground beef

You can add fat to your ground beef in a variety of forms. Here are the best things to add:

• Beef fat (tallow)
• Bacon or bacon fat
• Butter
• Chorizo
• Sausages
• Cheese
• A fattier type of mince

Keep reading to find out more about each option.

Add beef fat

This is my personal favorite. Adding beef fat to lean ground beef can transform it into something truly magical.

The trick to using beef fat is to use BACK FAT specifically.

Why?

• Back fat is more ‘buttery’ and has a melt in your mouth texture VS regular beef fat.
• Many butchers give it away for FREE. And even if your local butcher decides to sell it, it won’t be expensive.

How to add beef fat (tallow) to ground beef

Assuming you’ve got your tallow ready to go, you’ll need either a food processor or a dedicated meat grinder for the next part.

1. Ensure both the tallow and beef are COLD before adding to your food processor. I recommend placing them in the freezer for around 20 minutes before your ready to process them. If the meat is too warm it will smear and you’ll end up with mushy ground beef.
2. The same applies to your grinding equipment. Place it in the freezer at least one hour before you need to use it.
3. Work out how much tallow you need to get the desired lean to fat ratio. If you’re unsure, skip to this section where I cover it in detail.
4. Grind together the ground beef and the tallow just until they’re both properly mixed. Don’t overdo this step. Too much handling can also result in a mushy texture.

It’s that simple.

If you don’t have a grinder or food processor at home, you may have some luck asking your butcher if they’d be willing to work in the fat for you.

Add bacon or bacon grease

Bacon is here to save the day. You have three options when it comes to adding bacon to ground beef:

• Grind raw bacon and mix with the ground beef before cooking/making patties
• Add cooked bacon to your ground beef
• Use the bacon fat/drippings

Mixing ground (or finely chopped) raw bacon with your beef before cooking will create a deliciously fatty and flavorsome patty.

But it means you’ll have to cook the burger ALL the way through. You don’t want any raw bits of bacon lurking in the middle of your burger.

Like your burger to have a bit of pink?

Cook the bacon BEFORE adding it to the ground beef.

Or use the leftover bacon grease – which by the way tastes AMAZING. You can mix a bit into the burger, or simply cook the burger using the fat. Learn how to collect and store it here.

Add sausage

Sausages are a great way to make your ground beef more juicy and fatty. And it’s super easy.

You don’t need any additional equipment to mix them together.

Take the skin off the sausage, and then mix the meat and ground beef together in a bowl.

Voila! Problem solved.

Just like with bacon, you’ll need to make sure that you cook the burgers all the way through if you add raw sausage.

Add chorizo

Chorizo is yet another insanely delicious way to add flavor, fat, and life to your ground beef. As the burgers cook, the chorizo oil will seep out into the meat. YUM.

I keep it simple when adding chorizo. If the beef is 90% lean, I recommend adding 1 part chorizo for 3 parts ground beef.

Remember: cooking is an art, not a science. You won’t do any harm by tweaking the above ratio to your liking.

Psst… make sure all your guests like chorizo before going full steam ahead with this option.

Add cheese

No good burger is complete without a hefty portion of cheese to go with it.

So why not add some cheese into the beef instead of on top of it?

Adding cheese is a foolproof way to add fat and oozy-juicy-ness (is that even a word?). All without needing to add any other meats.

Here are a few of my personal favorite additions:

• Blue cheese
• Feta cheese
• Cream cheese

Simply add a generous helping of your favorite cheese into the raw ground beef and gently mix by hand.

If you’re using a solid cheese I recommend cutting it into small chunks or use a cheese grater.

Cold cheese works best for this task. I’d even go as far as freezing the cheese for 20-30 minutes before mixing it into the raw beef.

Add butter

Let’s not forget about butter. Adding butter to ground beef elevates the beef’s flavor profile while not adding any other distractions (flavors). Butter also adds moisture and tenderness to the beef.

And it’s very likely that you have some handy right now.

How to add butter to ground beef

1. Dice or grate the butter into small pieces (too big and you’ll have pockets of air in the beef once the butter melts).
2. Ensure the butter is cold (like ice cold) before adding to the beef. I recommend freezing both the butter and beef for about 30 minutes to make sure they’re at a similar temperature.
3. Gently work the butter pieces into the ground beef and form individual patties. A light touch is crucial here to prevent the ground beef from turning mushy.

Mix in a fattier mince

This option might seem obvious, but sometimes we miss the obvious options!

You don’t have to stick to using one type of beef.

If you have an old pack of 15% mince (pork or beef) in hanging around in your freezer, take some of this and mix it into your 5% mince to increase the fat content.

You can go with 50:50 if you want to significantly increase the fat levels, or just add a handful. It’s totally up to you.

How much fat should I add to my ground beef?

I’ve created a handy table to help you calculate how much fat to add to your ground beef.

Let’s go through a quick example to illustrate how it works.

You have 10% fat ground beef (90% lean) and decide you want to make burgers with 30% fat (70% lean).

Now you have to match the type of ground beef you have (in the columns) with your desired ground beef type (in the rows).

To turn 10% fat ground beef into 30% fat ground beef, you’ll need to add 22% of the total weight of your original ground beef in pure fat (e.g. tallow, bacon fat, butter).

Confused? Lets go through a real life example:

If you have 2lbs of 10% fat ground beef, you’ll need to add 7oz (0.44lbs) of fat to make a 30% lean mix. 0.44 lbs is 22% of 2 lbs.

If you aren’t interested in being so scientific, you can approximate! Your burgers will still be delicious.

Tips for making lean ground beef juicy

Here are a few final tips to help you get maximum juiciness and tenderness from your ground beef:

• Don’t overwork the meat. Overworking the beef makes it tough and lifeless. Treat it gently and you’ll be rewarded.
• Cooking burgers? Just flip them ONCE. Pretty much the same logic as #1. Also, avoid the urge to press the patties too much with your spatula when cooking (unless you’re planning to smash them!).
• The fattier the beef, the more heat you need. Generally speaking, leaner cuts should be cooked on a medium flame, whereas high-fat cuts should be cooked on a high flame. Adjust depending on the amount of fat you decide to add.

Related: How To Make Fine Ground Beef

Ravin released the R26 as their most compact crossbow in 2019. With an ultra-narrow width of just 5.75 inches when cocked and only a total length of 26 inches, the R26 is a compact yet very powerful crossbow that shoots arrows at 400 FPS!

Ravin Crossbows is one of the best crossbow manufacturers. Ravin has been dominating the crossbow market for a long time together with TenPoint, Excalibur and Barnett. Ravin has designed some revolutionary new features like the HeliCoil technology, Versa-Draw cocking system, Trac-Trigger firing system and a frictionless flight-system. Ravin’s R29X, R29X Sniper and R29 sniper models also feature a fully integrated Silent Cocking System.

The R26 Ravin crossbow has a completely new frictionless flight-system so that the arrow does not make contact with the rail! Together with their HeliCoil technology, this ensures high speeds and high accuracy. This crossbow works with a cocking mechanism that is very safe and easy to use. Because of all of these amazing features, this crossbow can be used by everyone!

Ravin R26 Compact 400 FPS Crossbow Features

Extra Features

Ravin managed to make the R26 the most compact and lightweight crossbow currently on the market, still feature an amazing number of high-tech features and reach speeds of over 400 feet per second!

Ravin’s R26 features HeliCoil technology, Versa-Draw cocking system with an ambidextrous removable draw handle, Trac-Trigger firing system, frictionless flight-system and a premium 100-yard Illuminated scope from Ravin themselves.

Size and Weight

With just 9.25 inches wide when cocked and 5.75 inches wide uncocked and just a total length of 26 inches, the Ravin R26 is the most compact crossbow we’ve ever got to shoot. Even though it’s a very compact crossbow and only has a power stroke of 9.5 inches, the Ravin R26 can still shoot arrows at blistering speeds.

The R26 is also a very lightweight crossbow, only 6.5 lbs.! It feels really well balanced, not nose-heavy at all. Ravin did a fantastic job at making this a compact and lightweight crossbow.

Speed and Arrows

Ravin advertises the R26 as a 400 feet per second crossbow. We wanted to test this out, because it’s so compact and lightweight that we thought it’d be impossible to reach the 400 feet per second with the crossbow pre-assembled, pre-tuned and sighted by Ravin.

We were amazed at reading the speeds of the R26 on our ProChrono chronograph. 407, 405 and 411 feet per second! That’s even higher than advertised by Ravin.

Ravin supplies 6 Ravin 20-inch, 400 grain, match-grade arrows with field tips. The field tips weigh 100 grains, the carbon arrows 300 grains. Usually the arrows that are provided with certain crossbows are just either too lightweight or straight up garbage. We think that the 400 grain arrows that Ravin delivers with the R26 are perfect.

These arrows have Ravin-engineered polymer nocks. Make sure the nock actually “clicks” into the string. If you didn’t properly load the crossbow, the trigger will not move into firing position.

WARNING: DO NOT USE NON-RAVIN ARROWS OR NOCKS WITH YOUR RAVIN CROSSBOW.

Scope

Ravin installed a 100 Yard Illuminated Scope on the Ravin R26. The scope measures 8.75 inches and has a variable speed and arrow drop compensation setting. The scope has 9 dots calibrated for 20 to 100 yards. It’s a perfect scope for crossbows that shoot 400 feet per second. The scope is tested to be fog-proof, weatherproof, shockproof, and recoil-proof.

Assembling and Disassembling

Ravin ships the R26 fully assembled and pre-tuned. You’ll only have to level the scope. To level the scope, we highly recommend you to get a Ravin Scope level. You can use this Ravin scope level for the R26, R29 and R29X crossbows.

Ravin designed the R26 to be easily carried with you in the field. It has 3 locations where you can attach the Ravin Backpack or shoulder slings.

At this price we really expected a crossbow case included with the package, there isn’t. You can either buy a Ravin soft case separately for around $150 on Amazon or on Ravincrossbows.com for $159.99.

If you’re thinking about getting the R26 crossbow with a crossbow case, you’re better off getting the Ravin R26 Predator Hunter’s Crossbow Bundle. It’s only around $100 more on Amazon and you’ll be getting the case and a Ravin Crossbows hat extra.

Cocking

One of the main features a Ravin crossbow sports is the built-in cocking mechanism with removable draw handle. Ravin patented it as the Versa-Draw™ Cocking System. With this cocking mechanism you’ll only need about 12 lbs. of force to fully cock the crossbow.

You can remove the draw handle and it’s possible to attach it on both sides of the stock. Unlike with TenPoint’s ACUdraw PRO or ACUslide you can not let go of the handle mid-crank.

While cocking the R26 is something to get used to, it’s also not the most silent way to cock a crossbow. Ravin’s R29X, R29X Sniper and R29 sniper models can also silently cock the crossbow.

We highly recommend to watch Ravin’s instructional video on how to cock the Ravin R26.

Shooting and Trigger

Ravin equipped the R26 with a Trac-Trigger firing system. The TTFS slides along the rail to catch the string, when the string is secured to the TTFS the safety and anti-dry fire will automatically engage.

The trigger mechanism works together with the TTFS. When you’ve properly cocked and loaded in an arrow, the trigger mechanism should automatically engage. If the trigger mechanism doesn’t engage, you’ve probably not loaded the arrow correctly. Make sure you hear a click when you load the arrow.

Ravin states in their manual that the trigger pull should be around 4.0 pounds. We tested this and actually came out at around 2.5 pounds.

The R26 is compact, lightweight and when you first look at it, you’ll probably think it’s a toy… We thought the same. After picking it up and shooting it, the toy-feeling instantly disappears. Ravin installed an ergonomic grip which makes this crossbow feel really good and well balanced in your hands. It’s very accurate and the amount of power from such a compact crossbow is just ridiculous.

Package Contents

The Ravin R26 comes fully assembled and pre-tuned. Included with your Ravin R26 crossbow package is the following:

• Ravin R26 Crossbow
• 100 Yard Illuminated Scope
• 3-Arrow Quiver and Quiver Bracket
• 6-Pack 400-Grain .003 Match Grade Arrows and Field Points
• Accessories Bracket
• Instruction Manual

Conclusion

Ravin managed to deliver a crossbow that’s very fast, yet compact and full of high-tech features. For smaller people, the Ravin R26 might be the best option right now. We were really hoping that Ravin would upgrade their cocking system so you can let go mid-crank just like with TenPoint’s ACUslide.

This is still an exceptional crossbow and you can’t find anything like it on the market today!

If you’re looking for a cocking mechanism that allows you to let go mid-crank, we would recommend you to take a look at our TenPoint crossbow reviews.

Red dot sights are commonly used on pistols, but what about air rifles? Are they just as effective? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of red dot sights on air rifles to see if they’re worth the investment.

Pros of Red Dot Sights:

• Huge range- Red dot sights have a much larger range than traditional iron sights, making them ideal for long-range shooting.
• Fast and straight- Red dot sights are incredibly fast and straight, meaning you can get on target quickly and accurately.
• Easy to spot- The red dot is easy to spot, even in low light conditions. This makes it easier to keep your eye on the target.

Cons of Red Dot Sights:

• The Picatinny mounting rails obviously won’t fit standard scope grooves, so most airgunners will need to buy mounting adaptors. These aren’t expensive, but they’re an on-cost which needs to be considered.
• Red dot sights can be susceptible to damage from impact or vibrations. This means they might not be ideal for some types of air rifles such as break barrels.

Conclusion

Red dot sights have a lot of advantages, but there are also a few things to keep in mind before you purchase one. They’re more expensive than traditional iron sights, but they offer a much larger range and are faster and easier to use. However, they may not suitable for break barrel air rifles.

Countless things go into achieving rifle accuracy, and just as many things can make a rifle shoot poorly and erode accuracy. So where do you look when your trusty rifle isn’t grouping like it used to, or when that new barrel burner isn’t shooting up to its price tag?

Many factory rifles now guarantee sub-MOA (minute of angle) accuracy at 100 yards. So, if you bought a rifle in the past five years and it can’t group five shots under an inch at 100 yards with premium ammunition, you should keep reading.

Here is a five-part diagnostic checklist that can solve many common accuracy problems.

Check for Rock Solid Scope Mounts and No Play in Sights

The first thing you need to check when your rifle is shooting poorly is the sighting system. Most of the rifles that come into my gunsmith shop for accuracy issues have loose sights. If your groups are all over the place with no rhyme or reason to the pattern, this is likely the problem.

Check iron sights by trying to move them with your hand. If there is any movement at all, they need to be fixed. Fortunately, there are many ways to tighten the fit of a dovetail sight. A metal shim, lightly peening the dovetail, and a drop of solder can solve this problem.

If a rifle is fitted with a scope, there are many more things that can go wrong. To start, make sure all the screws on the scope rings and bases are tight. If you find a loose one, you may have found the issue already, but beware, it’s important not to overtighten these screws since many rings and bases are made out of aluminum and the fine threads are prone to stripping. There are recommended torque settings for the screws in your rings and bases set by the manufacturer. Look them up, and use a torque wrench to lock everything down like it should be, and shoot again.

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Listen to What Your Brass is Saying

An empty brass casing can tell you all you need to know about your chamber. During the firing process, your brass makes a reverse imprint of the chamber, revealing any flaws that might be hard to see otherwise. Saving the brass from your day at the range can save you valuable time later and answer lots of questions if rifle accuracy problems arise.

First, look at the casing itself. Are there any bulges or odd discoloration near the mouth of the case? Next, look at the primer. The primer is your ignition system and can have significant effects on accuracy. I have seen rifles that were wildly inaccurate because of a broken firing pin that still managed to set off cartridge primers.

Whole chapters of books have been written about how primers look when things aren’t right. If you notice that your dimpled primers look different than they usually do, it may be time to take the rifle to a gunsmith.

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Inspect the Crown

The crown is found at the muzzle of your barrel and is critical for rifle accuracy. It should be uniform and not have any burrs, dings, or dents.

Most crowns are designed to avoid damage to the critical areas, but they still can get beat up through years of use in the field. Taking your rifle to a gunsmith to recut a crown is a very common and inexpensive job that can solve some accuracy issues.

Ensure Rifling Twist Rate and Bullet Weight Are Compatible

Occasionally, the combination of certain rifling twist rates and bullet weights can kill a rifle’s accuracy. Diagnose this by looking at the impact of your bullets on paper at 50-100 yards. If your impacts look oblong or sometimes even sideways (keyholing), your bullet isn’t stabilizing properly and is tumbling on the way to the target. This is becoming a more common issue with modern calibers that use longer, heavier bullets with higher ballistic coefficients.

Your twist rate can be easily measured using a clothespin and cleaning rod and cross-checked with this chart to see if you are using the correct weight bullet. The fix for this problem is simple: try different bullet weights.

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Look To the Stock: Imperfect Bedding Can Kill Rifle Accuracy

The bedding on your rifle is critical for accurate shooting. The bedding is basically a reverse imprint of your action in the stock. A well-bedded action will have a consistent position from shot to shot. There have been countless articles written about glass bedding an action, (editor’s note: this is the best one), but how do you identify bedding as your rifle accuracy issue?

Start by shooting a group at 100 yards. A recoil lug that isn’t bedded properly can cause erratic groups without any consistency. On a wooden stock, a crack running from the recoil lug to the magazine box is a telltale sign of this problem.

If there is a pattern to your grouping, that can be used to troubleshoot bedding issues. A pattern that prints in a vertical string can usually be corrected by relieving the bottom of the barrel channel in the stock. Any horizontal trending groups are generally caused by uneven pressures on the sides of the barrel channel.

Some firearms, such as pre-’64 Winchester Model 70s, have a screw in the forearm used to adjust the tension and harmonics of your barrel.

Bedding issues can be fixed at home, but it is better to take it to someone who has done it before and is comfortable doing it.

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Know When to Take a Rifle to a Gunsmith

Unless you have access to a machinist buddy with a lathe, some of these fixes and adjustments must be made by a professional gunsmith. If you’re lucky, you already have a gunsmith that you know and trust to do work like this. If not, you can go here to get a walkthrough of the best ways to locate and get in touch with a gunsmith in your area.

One of the first things your gunsmith will likely ask after you present a rifle with accuracy problems is if you reload your own ammo. This is not the time to get defensive about your reloads. Explain exactly how you do it, and if it ends up being the problem, learn from it.

Keep your brass and give it to your gunsmith along with some of your unfired reloads. This will help them identify any ammunition-related accuracy problems for you.

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Whitetails use the land differently throughout the year. From bedding and feeding perspectives, whitetails have different needs in spring, summer, fall, and winter. Core areas shift. Different parts of home ranges are utilized. But for now, it’s the early season, and there are certain things to know.

First, let’s define “early season” as the portion of deer season leading up to the pre rut. In most states, this generally falls between August and mid-October.

Every good whitetail treestand location should be chosen with careful thought and consideration. Wind direction, proximity to bedding, food, water, or security cover — it’s important to give yourself as many options as possible as deer patterns shift. But there’s another way to categorize stand locations. These two groups include topography-specific or habitat- and terrain-specific hotspots.

Once a hunter knows what characteristics to look for, HuntStand helps reveal these gems. That’s true for brand-new properties, and even those you’ve hunted forever. As someone who’s hunted some of the same properties for 25 years, sometimes you learn new things about tracts, even when you thought you had them completely figured out.

Topography-Specific Hotspots

Topography is best defined as change in elevation. Hills, hollows, bottomlands, ridges — these and more are characteristics of changing topography. In short, it’s the opposite of pancake-flat ground. And if I’ve learned anything in my 25 years of deer hunting, it’s that topography can make or break a hunt. It can also create and present excellent early season treestand locations.

1. Leeward Ridges: The downwind sides of ridgelines oftentimes have bucks, and other deer, bedded on them. This is true even in the early season, especially if hunting pressure is already ramping up.

2. Low Spots: During the early season, deer like low spots for multiple reasons. First, scent gathers here. Second, it’s cooler. Third, water is more likely to be present. And fourth, green food sources are more likely.

3. Near Water: Water is important all year, but especially when it’s hot. Not just for drinking, though. Usually, it means lush growth for eating, and cooler air for comfort.

4. Watering Holes: Focus on secluded, stagnant (or slow moving) water sources to see mature bucks.

5. Ridge Lines: Oftentimes, ridge lines have hard or soft mast, including oaks. When these start dropping, be there.

6. Ridge Points: Deer commonly bed on ridge points (endings), especially if a hot food source is down below.

7. Thermal Hubs: Also referred to as crow’s feet, thermal hubs are where multiple ridge endings taper down (from multiple directions) in the same spot. Here, thermals collect, and deer use that to their advantage.

8. Solar Bedding: Pinpoint northern-facing slopes, which receive less sunlight. (Pro tip: You usually see more daylight walking by mature bucks here.)

Fortunately for HuntStand users, key HuntStand layers help identify topography specific hotspots. Some of these include 3D, Contour, Quad Topo, Terrain, etc.

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Habitat and Terrain-Specific Hotspots

While topography-specific stand locations tend to have greater effect on reliable deer movement, there are many more habitat- and terrain-specific spots to consider. These too can create an excellent opportunity for stands.

9. Ag Field Edges: Alfalfa, clover (in hay fields), soybeans, and others, are all great ag field options.

10. Appearing Rub Lines: As bucks come out of velvet, and start to establish their travel routes, rubs will appear. Use these markers to help choose stand locations.

11. Draws: U-shaped fields and openings with timber on three sides attract deer. If good bedding areas and food sources are present, expect deer movement.

12. Crossings: Pinch points are relevant all year, especially for bowhunters. Keep creek, fence, and other crossings at the forefront.

13. Hidden Fields: Secluded fields are excellent options for deer hunters. Mature bucks are more likely to use these than fields that are more exposed.

14. Inside Field Corners: Anywhere a field creates an L shape in the timber is an inside field corner. If a relevant bedding area is close to it, give it bonus points.

15. Mast Trees: Hard and soft mast trees are important elements of the early season. Hard mast trees, such as chestnuts, red oaks, and white oaks, are key trees to pinpoint. Soft mast trees, such as apples, pears, and persimmons, are hot food sources, too.

16. Micro Food Plots: Small food plots positioned in strategic locations can be incredible plays during the early season. Of course, this requires a plant species that hits peak attractiveness at this time, though.

17. Scrapes and Mock Scrapes: Whitetails hit scrapes (and mock scrapes) all year long. But this action really starts to ramp up during the early season and pre-rut.

18. Staging Areas: Anywhere that deer tend to congregate at last light is a staging area. Find these that are located between early season bedding areas and food sources.

19. Thermal Bedding: Throughout the year, deer use different types of bedding cover. During the early season, that’s oftentimes thermal bedding, such as cedar thickets. These hold cooler air in the heat of the year and warmer air in the cool of the year.

20. Trail Emergences: Anywhere a trail leads from a bedding area to a food or water source can be a solid bet for killing a target deer.

21. Trail Intersections: Don’t quite have your deer patterned yet? Consider trail intersections. This increases the odds of seeing the deer you are after.

As with topography-centric areas, key HuntStand layers help identify habitat and terrain specific hotspots, too. Some of these include 3D Map, Hybrid, Mapbox Satellite, Natural Atlas, National Aerial Imagery, Satellite, Tree Cover, Whitetail Habitat Map, and more.

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Patterns Change Quickly

Now that you’re equipped with plenty of target treestand location types, understand that these spots aren’t guarantees. You still must scout in the field, study the situation, and determine if deer are currently using these spots, or not. Deer have short-, mid-, and long-term patterns. Each of these are driven by bedding needs, changing food sources, hunting pressure, and more.

Naturally, the most recent info is most important. Things change quickly. If running trail cameras, or glassing deer in the field, focus on that. Also, property conditions and layout being similar as past years, reflect on historical trail camera photos and in-the-field encounters to see how, when, and where deer used the land.

For those interested in knowing what bedding areas are being used by target bucks (or deer in general) at a given time, consider soaking cellular trail cameras on the fringes of these. Pair these with external battery sources to maximize battery life. Because, once these cameras go dead, you won’t want to invade bedding areas to revitalize these during the season.

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Prepare for the Pre-Rut Shift

As we move closer to some opening days, and deeper into seasons already open, expect disbursement to happen. Eventually, as many as 50% of bucks will shift into their fall ranges, which might not overlap with early season stand locations.

So, as you begin to see new bucks on the landscape, work to identify bucks as new or returning. When trying to determine who a specific buck is, pay attention to physical identifiers, including antler mass, antler spread, antler structure, body markings, body scars, body size, brow tine characteristics, facial coloration, fur coloration, fur patterns, tine length, unique points, and more. Also, pay attention to behavioral tendencies.

Once we transition out of the early season, and ease into the pre-rut, consider looking to treestand locations for that period. Focus on key food sources at that time. Generally, these are geographic specific. Solid picks include seasonal bedding area edges, food sources edges, pockets of falling mast crops, staging areas, micro food plots, and more. Additionally, under the right circumstances, don’t overlook all-season locations, including funnels, inside field corners, isolated watering holes, pinch-points, saddles, scrapes, mock scrapes, and more.

But until then, continue to focus all efforts on great early season treestand locations. And keep using HuntStand to dial in on those early season hotspots.

Find Public-Land Deer Hotspots on the Fly with HuntStand Pro

HuntStand Pro vs. HuntStand Pro Whitetail

HuntStand is a valuable tool for deer hunters. It’s offered on multiple levels, including Pro and Pro Whitetail. Each of these offers more options than the last, and it’s important for deer hunters to determine which of these best fits their needs, style of hunting, and more.

HuntStand Pro

Those who choose HuntStand Pro will have access to powerful app tools and incredibly useful layers. Each of these will aid in the pursuit of successful land management, public land hunting, communication with hunting partners, and much more. Unlike the free version of HuntStand, it’s an ad-free experience.

Includes: Advanced property search, monthly satellite imagery, offline mapping, premium map layers, property data, real 3D maps, stand reservations, trail camera management, treestand (and other gear) deployment management, weather overlays, and more.

Layers: 3D (true 3D viewing), Mapbox (Color-Corrected) Satellite, National Aerial Imagery, Natural Atlas, (General) Public Hunting Lands, (Detailed) Public Hunting Lands, TerraPulse Tree Cover, and more.

Price: $29.99 (per year)

UPGRADE TO PRO

HuntStand Pro Whitetail

While Pro is a very efficient subscription level, Pro Whitetail is a must for serious deer hunters.

Includes: In addition to what’s include at the HuntStand Pro level, Pro Whitetail also features Crop History, Whitetail Activity Forecast (detailing weather, wind and other conditions, plus daily hunt-quality scores), Whitetail Habitat Map (showcasing likely habitat-based hotspots), Nationwide Whitetail Rut Map (individualized data for each county), and more.

Layers: HuntStand Pro layers plus additional layers: Nationwide Whitetail Rut Map, Whitetail Habitat Map, Crop History

Price: $69.99 (per year)

UPGRADE TO HUNTSTAND PRO WHITETAIL