The SilencerCo ASR Muzzle Brake is a game-changer! Although there are some folks who are not much into muzzle brakes for personal reasons, they are still not a bad idea.

I’ve used quite a few SilencerCo ASR muzzle devices, and I can say for a fact that they are an awesome choice. To start with, they are solid and also great for reducing recoil and muzzle rise. They are built from high-quality materials that can withstand the heat and pressure of regular use. In addition, this muzzle brake is pretty easy it is to install. So if you are in doubt, this is the muzzle brake for you. To find out about other brakes and firearms, read up more on our website.

Table of Contents

Construction

I’m not sure exactly what kind of steel this muzzle brake is made of. But it’s strong.

We actually got an ASR Flash Hider hot enough to melt it. A customer blasted like 20 mags of full auto through a SilencerCo suppressor.

This one got way too hot. It still works, though.

The muzzle device got hot enough that the metal got soft and blistered. We straightened it out and let it cool down. And the muzzle device still works on that full-auto rifle today. It didn’t get brittle. And even the black nitride finish held up to some extent.

That makes me pretty certain that the SilencerCo ASR Muzzle Brake will hold up through all sorts of hard use, since most of us don’t have full-auto rifles.

Also, the machining on this muzzle brake is super clean. All the corners are beveled slightly to remove any harsh edges. Even the internal edges of the ports are beveled slightly.

Lastly, the threads on the ASR mount are incredibly clean. But I’ll talk about the ASR mount later on.

But, even without mentioning the ASR mount, the construction and attention to detail on this muzzle brake is obviously top notch.

Fit and Finish

There’s some good and some bad here.

First, the black nitride finish is incredible. As I mentioned earlier, the black nitride finish on the ASR Flash Hider that we melted held up somewhat. It wasn’t perfect. But I wouldn’t expect any finish to hold up through being melted without any damage.

But it’s evidence that the finish is incredibly strong.

And the finish resists carbon fouling pretty well. It seems that this muzzle brake collects less carbon than many other muzzle devices I’ve used.

It takes quite a bit of suppressed shooting—and even more unsuppressed shooting—to get any significant carbon buildup on the muzzle device. So the nitride finish certainly seems to do its job.

The next aspect of the fit and finish that I noticed is the threading for mounting the muzzle brake to your barrel. The threading is incredibly smooth and well finished. This muzzle device threaded on super smoothly and easily.

My only complaint about the fit is the shims.

I don’t know if shims are a requirement for muzzle brakes. But I prefer crush washers. I find it much easier to time a muzzle device with a crush washer. And I’ve never had a muzzle device that’s mounted with a crush washer come loose.

If it’s necessary to use shims for a muzzle brake, so be it. You can use a crush washer for a compensator, though. And that must be timed. So why not use crush washers for muzzle brakes?

But I digress. My problem with this muzzle brake is that I’ve occasionally found it difficult to time the muzzle brake with the included shims. Either the shims were too thick or too thin. And I ended up having to pretty much overtorque the muzzle brake to get it properly timed.

It’s not a huge deal. I just used a bigger wrench. And this hasn’t been an issue with every ASR muzzle brake I’ve installed. It might just be a slight mismatch between the threading on the brake and the threading on certain barrels.

But you don’t have these sorts of issues with a crush washer. That’s all I’m saying.

Either way, my one complaint about the fit is pretty minor. Timing muzzle devices with shims is always kind of a pain. So I might have this complaint about any other muzzle brake.

Putting my minor gripe aside, the fit and finish on this muzzle brake is outstanding. It installed (mostly) flawlessly. And it requires very little cleaning and maintenance. That’s about as much as you can ask for from a muzzle brake.

It might be tough to see. But that shim is SMASHED.

Suppressor Mount

Obviously, the primary feature of this muzzle brake is the ASR suppressor mount.

Here’s my one sentence opinion of the ASR mount: it’s one of the best—if not the best—suppressor mounting system on the market right now.

Just look at those clean, sharp threads.

It’s super simple and easy to use. It’s absolutely secure. And it’s nearly impossible to get a false positive with the locking mechanism.

Also, referring again to the ASR Flash Hider we melted, we melted an ASR muzzle device. And the ASR mount still works! We didn’t even have an issue removing the suppressor after getting it hot enough to melt the muzzle device.

I know that this is a sample size of one.

But we use a lot of SilencerCo suppressors on rental guns at the range. And the operation is almost always flawless, despite how badly we beat them up and how often we burn them down on full-auto guns.

They very rarely even get carbon locked. That’s not to say that it can’t happen. But it takes a lot of abusive shooting to lock up the ASR mount.

So, in short, I’m convinced that the ASR suppressor mount is an amazing mounting system.

Obviously, you can only use SilencerCo suppressors with the ASR system (there may be other manufacturers that produce ASR compatible suppressors. But I’m not aware of them).

However, SilencerCo makes awesome suppressors. Being restricted to using SilencerCo suppressors isn’t really a limitation. No matter what you want to do with your suppressor, SilencerCo makes one that will fit the bill.

All in all, the ASR mount gets two thumbs up from me.

Muzzle Brake Performance

My observations here are pretty straightforward.

In terms of recoil reduction, this is a good muzzle brake. However, there are dedicated muzzle brakes that perform better.

I will say this, though: the only muzzle brakes that offer better recoil reduction are dedicated muzzle brakes. The other muzzle brakes with suppressor mounts feel about the same, or even slightly worse.

For a muzzle brake with a suppressor mount, this muzzle brake is outstanding. But, if your primary concern is recoil reduction—and you don’t need the suppressor mount—you’d be better served with a dedicated muzzle brake.

Allow me to make this recommendation, though:

Use this muzzle brake, even if you don’t have a suppressor right now and you just want recoil reduction.

Why?

This muzzle brake offers plenty of recoil reduction for typical AR-15 rounds. It might not be the very best. But it’s good. You’ll get a very controllable rifle. And, it saves you a bit of money if you decide to get a suppressor down the road.

Additionally, using a muzzle brake with a suppressor mount is especially valuable if you need to pin and weld your muzzle device.

It’s good enough that I pretty much use some variation of the SilencerCo ASR Muzzle Brake on all my rifles, at this point. That way I can slap one of my SilencerCo suppressors on any rifle I have. And I have very little need—if any need—to swap muzzle devices in the future.

That’s my two cents on why using an ASR muzzle brake is a great idea.

But, in fairness, here’s a counterpoint:

You may want to forego this muzzle brake if the muzzle blast is a significant concern for you. The muzzle blast from this muzzle brake is relatively mild. But it’s still a muzzle brake.

If that’s your situation, allow me to recommend the SilencerCo ASR Flash Hider. That way you can still get a suppressor down the road, if you change your mind.

That’s all I have to say about that.

Braking Things Down

As you may have guessed, I think the ASR muzzle brake is an amazing muzzle device.

It performs well as a dedicated muzzle brake. And you can pop a suppressor on it, if you need to muzzle the muzzle blast.

The only thing to watch out for is timing it with the shims. You may need a pretty sturdy upper receiver vice block to get this muzzle brake properly timed. But that may just have been a product of the barrel I mounted this SilencerCo ASR Muzzle Brake on.

In the end, I think that you’d be hard pressed to find a more versatile muzzle brake that offered better recoil reduction than the ASR muzzle brake. It could easily be the only muzzle device you need.

When most people think of slingshots, their heads are probably filled with images of cartoon trouble-makers ala Bart Simpson and Dennis the Menace. And while slingshots can certainly be used for the purposes of making mischief, they were not originally intended for that purpose. Rather, they’re a relatively modern reinterpretation of a much older tool: the sling (like the one used by David against Goliath in the biblical story). And that device, like its modern counterpart, was actually widely utilized for the purposes of hunting and survival.

You might think that, in this day and age, slingshots are all but obsolete — what with guns, bows and arrows, crossbows, etc. But we’d suggest looking at it a different way: using a slingshot is a way of developing better hand-eye coordination, they’re less intrusive and dangerous than firearms, they’re a good deal more approachable from a budgetary standpoint than any of the aforementioned alternatives, and more. If that sounds like something you might be interested in, you’ll definitely want to check out the following guide covering the best slingshots for survival.

Why Carry A Slingshot?

Slingshots as we know them are a relatively modern invention, dating back to just the mid-1800s — a result of the fact that Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber in 1839 and patented the technology in 1844, which slingshots depend upon for their elastic, springy bands. And while they’re typically portrayed in media as the tools of troublemakers, they actually offer quite a lot of genuine value in the hands of a skilled user. We’ve mentioned a few benefits already, but we’d like to take a moment to outline them more in-depth and touch on a few others to better help you understand why you might want a slingshot for survival usage. The following are just some of the reasons you should pick up a slingshot:

Budget-Friendliness: Especially when compared to lethal firearms, slingshots are extremely budget-friendly — both in regards to the initial investment but also in regards to replenishing ammunition (rounds are much more pricey than BBs). In earnest, even the most high-end of slingshots can be purchased for a relatively reasonable price, especially when compared to the alternatives.

Hand-Eye Coordination Development: Target shooting of any kind requires a measure of hand-eye coordination to be done right, but utilizing a slingshot can take even more skill and can help you better develop said skill. Not only does a user need to be able to properly aim to send their ammunition in the right direction, but they’ll also need to properly judge distance, wind resistance, and numerous other factors — much like firing a bow and arrow, but with far less of a monetary investment.

Packability & Portability: The only other projectile weapon that even comes close to the packability and portability of a slingshot is probably a handgun. And, even then, handguns tend to be far heavier, as is their accompanying ammunition. By contrast, there are slingshots (worthy ones) that are small and slender enough to stash in the pocket of your jeans. When it comes to packability and portability, slingshots are tough to beat.

Unobtrusiveness: This ties in closely to the above metric, but we’re including it because it isn’t exactly the same thing. You see, thanks to the fact that slingshots are so compact, they’re also relatively lightweight and easy to use for people of all ages and skill levels. Yes, a professional with years of experience is going to be able to do things a beginner couldn’t fathom, but the learning curve for proficiency is shortened thanks to the manageability of the hardware. Put simply: firing a slingshot is easy to learn but difficult to master.

Marksman Laserhawk III Slingshot

Best Budget Pick: For just a few dollars more than the above option, the Marksman Laserhawk III has some significant upgrades (and one downgrade). These include (but are not limited to) a fully adjustable yoke, a band that’s good for shooting distances of up to 250 yards, and an extremely low weight. As mentioned, there is one downside: this one does not collapse for easier pocketing. Still, if you’re serious about taking your slingshot skills to the next level, this is a superb place to start.

Barnett 16043 Cobra Slingshot

Best with Sight: There is no shame in utilizing training aids, especially when it comes to developing skills that might come in handy in a survival situation. For that reason, we’re fond of the Barnett 16043 Cobra Slingshot. With its metal frame, extended wrist brace, contoured Soft Touch grip, and powerful band, this is an excellent budget-friendly slingshot. But its biggest benefit comes from the included front-end sight, which makes aiming this slingshot even easier and will help you develop your hand-eye coordination faster, especially for beginners.

Hella Flip Folding Slingshot

Best for Travel: The San Francisco-based crew at Hella Slingshots only knows one thing – and that’s how to build a solid slingshot. And, they do so at an affordable price point. Built from a combination of steel and plastic, this slingshot includes a stabilization arm that can fold down for easier transport and comes with a powerful, stretchy band and a faux-leather pouch. As a starter “wrist rocket” style slingshot, this one is an extremely solid buy.

SimpleShot Axiom Ocularis Slingshot

Best for Hiking: As mentioned, there are slingshots on the market that are both high-end and highly compact/portable. The SimpleShot Axiom Ocularis is one such slingshot, measuring up at just 6″ in total height and 2.2oz in total weight. This also happens to be a recreation of SimpleShot founder Nathan Masters’ personal Axiom Ocularis model — which should lend credence to its overall value. Furthermore, it’s built from an injection-molded proprietary thermoplastic material offering “unmatched strength and reliability.” And it can be customized to accept flat bands, tubes, and looped tubes — letting you customize it to your shooting style.

SimpleShot Scout LT Slingshot

Best Small Option: SimpleShot’s Scout XT was one of the brand’s most popular and successful models. But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t room for improvement. Enter the SimpleShot Scout LT you see here, the result of years of work and listening to customer input. This sling is just as capable as its larger counterpart, but measures up at just 5″ in height — making it one of the smallest, best slingshot options available. And since it comes offered with 25 color combinations (five different frames and five different scales), it’s also exceedingly customizable.

Pocket Shot Survival Kit

Best All-in-One Kit: By a wide margin, the Pocket Shot is the most unique and compact slingshot on our list — utilizing a circular frame with a pocket-style pouch that, together, can offer better consistency regarding speed, accuracy, and a shorter learning curve than any other slingshot on our list. But this particular kit is even better, as it actually includes a number of other survival tools, including a fishing line, a saw, a compass, and even a storage tin in which you can store it all. Of course, if you want your pocket shot with a more traditional-style handle, the brand actually offers those, too.

Marksman Pocket Hunter Slingshot

Best for Practicing Your Aim: You can try to fire an arrow with any of the slingshots on this list, but you’ll probably not be very successful. By contrast, however, the Marksman Pocket Hunter Slingshot was actually made specifically with this purpose in mind, marked by a pocket with a paracord pull tab, making it a far superior alternative. In fact, the sale actually includes a 31″ carbon arrow. Whether you’re a seasoned archer seeking out hardware that’s a bit more compact or you’re looking to make the transition into learning how to fire a bow and arrow, this is the slingshot for you.

TOPS Knives Sling

Best Overall: Though the investment comes with a significant jump in price, the overall quality and craftsmanship of the TOPS Sling are more than worth the extra scratch for those serious about their slingshots. After all, it was crafted here in the USA using rugged 1095 carbon steel, which is paired with black canvas Micarta for the handle scales, a top-grain leather pouch, and a powerful band. If you’re the type that had wooden slingshots as a child and you’re looking to recapture those glory days with something a bit more rugged and refined, you definitely can’t go wrong here.

First introduced by Marlin Firearms in 1948, the Marlin 336 is one of the most popular centerfire lever rifles still in production. If you asked ten different deer hunters to name their idea of the most iconic deer rifle, I’m betting that more than half would say a lever action 30-30 Marlin 336. The first deer rifle I ever fired and carried into the woods as a teenager was a Marlin 336 chambered in 30-30.

Having grown up in North Carolina, the lever action 30-30 was the most popular deer rifle during my youth and the gun of choice for deer hunting in heavy cover where the average shot on a deer was 100 yards or less.

The shorter barrel (compared to most bolt rifles of that era) made it easy to handle in cover, the lever action was more than fast enough for rapid follow-up shots, and the 30-30 caliber was more than sufficient for ethically taking deer at 100 yards or less. While more popular as a deer cartridge, the 30-30 is also used for hunting Black Bears as well.

Even today, the Marlin 336 is still a popular option for deer hunting with new and experienced hunters alike. The timeless lever-action design still appeals to hunters and shooters as a lever action rifle was the traditional weapon of the cowboys and frontiersmen of the past. Even today, one of the questions I’m routinely asked at my day job is: what’s the best scope for 30-30 Marlin 336 lever action rifle?

In a hurry, here are my top 10 picks for the best Marlin 30 30 scopes:

#1 – Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 #2 – Simmons 8 Point 3-9×40 #3 – Burris Fullfield E1 3-9×50 #4 – Leupold FX-3 6×42 #5 – Vortex Crossfire II 3-12×56 #6 – Leupold VX-Freedom 4-12×40 #7 – Vortex Diamondback 3.5-10×50 #8 – Leupold VX3i 3.5-10×40 #9 – Simmons AETEC 2.8-10×44 illuminated #10 – Meopta MeoPro 6×42

Honorable mentions:

Nikon Prostaff P3 3-9×40 BDC Weaver K-4 Classic 4X38

Each scope that I’ve suggested as a possible option for a 30 30 lever action rifle has both pros and cons. Let’s get into why I think each of the rifle scope models below is a good option for a Marlin 336 30-30, and then I’ll go over what to look for in a Marlin 30-30 scope in a buyer’s guide down below.

Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32

When discussing Marlin 336 scope options, the smaller and lower-powered scope models should always be part of the conversation.

Built on a 1-inch tube, the Vortex 2-7×32 offers a compact and lightweight scope option for the Marlin 336. Given that most shots with a 336 take place under 100 yards, it’s not necessary to outfit one with a higher magnification scope.

The 2-7 power range offers more than enough magnification for shots out to 75 yards or longer. The 32mm objective is small enough so the scope can be mounted closer to the bore, yet offers enough light transmission for a bright, clear picture.

With an overall length of 10.71 inches and a weight of 14.3 ounces, this Crossfire II scope is small and light enough not to slow down or interfere with the maneuverability of the lever-action 336 in dense brush.

This scope is available with either a Vortex V-Plex reticle or the Dead-Hold BDC reticle. I’m a fan of the Dead-hold BDC reticle as it offers a serious amount of versatility.

Pros Cons Outstanding 3.9 inches of eye relief

A very wide field of view of 42-12.6/100 yards

The Dead-Hold BDC can be used to extend the range of the rifle

Great Warranty

Built like a tank, but it also means that this scope weighs more than most models with the same dimensions.

A fixed 100-yard parallax (Not a deal-breaker, but I prefer an adjustable parallax if possible)

Here are the best prices and deals I could find for the Crossfire II 2-7×32 models:

Simmons 8 Point 3-9×40

When you start shopping for a Marlin 30 30 scope, you’re most likely going to see a number of suggestions for scopes in the 3-9 power range. This is due to the overall popularity of that specific scope magnification range.

If you want a decent 3-9 optics for your 3030, then the Simmons 8 Point 3-9×40 might be worth checking out. It’s a no-frills 3-9 scope that offers better than average optical quality and features at a price that won’t break your budget.

This scope offers an optical quality that exceeds the price, coupled with 3.75 inches of eye relief, and Simmons patented TrueZero windage and elevation system.

The 8 Point scope offers a good value at a good price.

Pros Cons The price point is a big plus

Surprisingly, decent glass for the $

Very lightweight for a 3-9 scope

Compact 40mm objective lens

A non-adjustable 100-yard parallax

The power adjustment ring can be hard to turn at first, but it loosens up with use

Here are some of the best deals I could find on the Simmons 8 Point 3-9×40 scope:

Burris Fullfield E1 3-9×50

The Burris Fullfield E1 series of scopes is the workhorse scope series within the Burris scope line. The E1 offers good quality optics and features at a very reasonable price. Is it the cheapest 3-9 scope model in this list? No, but it’s a quality scope that will last a lifetime with proper care.

This scope comes with the Burris E1 reticle that functions as a standard duplex when needed but also features BDC functionality for bullet drop compensation. I like this reticle option as it’s very flexible.

This scope model features better than average glass that is crisp and clear, even in low light conditions. As an added bonus, it’s covered by the Burris Forever warranty program.

Even though the 30-30 is a light recoiling rifle, this scope has a history of durability and will hold up to a lifetime of recoil on a lever-action 30-30.

Pros Cons Excellent low light optics for this price range

The E1 reticle can also extend your shooting distances if you learn the reticle

Great Warranty

Like many 3-9 scopes in this price range, it has a fixed 100-yard parallax setting. (Not a deal-breaker though)

While the eye relief is listed at 3.1 to 3.4 inches and seems fine to me, some people have complained about the eye relief being “too short.”

Here are the best deals I could find on the Burris E1 Fullfield 3-9×50:

Leupold FX-3 6×42

A fixed power scope has always been a good choice for a Marlin 336 lever gun as they are simple to operate, very light, and very compact. The first Marlin 30-30 rifle I ever shot was equipped with a 4X fixed power scope, and it was a highly effective combination.

The Leupold FX-3 6×42 is a fixed 6X power scope that is built on a 1-inch tube. This scope model offers outstanding optical quality, but it comes at a higher price point than most of the other scopes on this list. This model also offers excellent low-light visibility via Leupold’s patented Twilight Management system.

The FX-6 comes with a standard parallax setting of 50 yards, but Leupold can also adjust the parallax point to another distance if you prefer. The FX-3 weighs 13.6 ounces so it’s a lightweight option for most any lever action 30-30.

Pros Cons Excellent optical quality glass

Excellent low light scope option

Comes with a fabulous warranty

Pricey but worth the cost if you prefer a fixed power scope

Not a heavy scope but not the lightest fixed power scope on the market

Here are the best prices I could find on the Leupold VX-3 6×42:

Vortex Crossfire II 3-12×56

While some people may look at the 3-12 power range on this Vortex scope as being too much, I’m a huge fan of this power range for a lever rifle. This power range offers more magnification range than a standard 3-9 scope, without having to move up to a higher-powered and heavier 4-12 or 4-16 scope.

Now, this scope does have a 56mm adjustable objective which is on the larger side as most of the other scopes on this list feature either a 40mm objective or a 42mm objective. The 56mm objective means that you’ll need either a set of higher rings or maybe see-thru rings. Another potential downside is the larger objective also adds overall weight to the scope.

However, the larger objective also pulls in quite a bit of light during low light conditions, and this scope features an illuminated reticle. These two features make this scope a good option for hunting in areas with a heavy leaf canopy or where a specific low light scope is needed.

Vortex advertises this scope as a “hog hunter” model but I’ve had customers at my day job who love this specific scope on a lever-action rifle. This model is built on a 30mm tube and features an adjustable parallax that will focus all the way down to 10 yards.

If you’re looking for an illuminated scope for a 30-30, then this scope might be worth checking out.

Pros Cons The 3-12 power range can be a big plus if a 3-9 is on the smaller side for you

Illuminated reticle

Adjustable parallax that focuses down to 10 yards

The larger 56mm objective lens will require scope rings that are higher than usual or see-thru rings (which I like as well)

All the extra features come at a price, and it’s the weight. This scope weighs nearly 22 ounces, which is much more substantial than most of the other scopes on this list.

Here are the best prices I could find on the Vortex Optics 3-12X56 IR:

Leupold VX-Freedom 4-12×40

As you shop for the best scope for a Marlin 30 30, you are bound to come across some recommendations for the Leupold brand of scopes, and I would agree with those suggestions.

The Leupold VX Freedom scope series is designed as a more budget-friendly mid-range scope within the Leupold line that offered very good optics at a reasonable price. While the VX-Freedom scopes are not the least expensive scope series on this list, they do offer a very good value for the cost.

Built on a 1-inch tube, the Freedom 4-12×40 model offers enough magnification to handle a shot from almost any distance. As with most all Leupold scopes, this 4-12 Freedom scope performs very well during low light situations and offers excellent light transmission.

The 4-12 model is compact enough to fit nicely on a lever-action brush gun yet offers enough scope for most any hunting scenario.

Pros Cons Impressive low light performance

At 11 ounces, it’s very light for a 4-12 scope

Backed by Leupold’s outstanding warranty

Comes with a fixed 100-yard parallax

Only available with the Tri-MOA reticle (which I like but some don’t)

Here are the best deals I could locate for the Leupold VX-Freedom 4-12×40:

Vortex Diamondback 3.5-10×50

The Vortex Diamondback scope models are a step up above the Vortex Crossfire II scope that I mentioned previously. The entire Diamondback line is really geared for hunting and is built like a tank to stand up to a lifetime of recoil.

The 3.5×10 configuration may be the ideal power magnification for most hunting situations as the 3.5 power is low enough for short-range shots and the 10X power offers enough magnification to push a 30-30 or .35 Remington round out past 100 yards if needed.

The optical quality on the Diamondback series is slightly better than the Crossfire II scopes and offers a crisp, clear image.

This model is built on a 1-inch tube and comes in weighing 16.2 ounces.

Pros Cons Excellent magnification range for any lever action rifle

Offers a good weight to the magnification ratio

Offered with two very effective reticle options

Fixed 100-yard parallax

The eye relief is 3.3” inches, which is a bit on the shorter side. It’s fine for a 30-30, but I wouldn’t suggest it for a heavier recoiling caliber

Here are the best deals I could locate for the Vortex Diamondback 3.5-10×50 scope:

Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10×40

The 3.5-10 power range has been one of Leupold’s most popular power ranges for several years. The VX-3i series is a step above the VX-Freedom series in terms of glass quality, and that is reflected in the price.

This scope is built on a 1-inch tube, weighs in at 12.6 ounces, and the 40mm objective pulls in plenty of light.

Like most of the Leupold scope models, the VX-3i series also uses Leupold’s Twilight Management system for premium low-light performance.

While this scope model usually costs more than the Leupold VX-Freedom series I mentioned above, it’s still not a terribly expensive Marlin 30 30 scope option.

Pros Cons Clear optics with excellent low light performance

Covered by Leupold’s second to none warranty program

Manufactured in America

One of the more expensive options on this list

Comes with a fixed 100-yard parallax setting (This isn’t a deal-breaker, but I prefer an adjustable parallax if possible)

Here are the best scope offers I found for the Leupold VX-3i 3-10×40 scope:

Simmons AETEC 2.8-10×44 Illuminated

If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly scope with an illuminated reticle, then this Aetec 2.8-10×44 with an illuminated reticle might be worth checking out.

While this scope model is equipped with a power range that is a bit out of the ordinary, the 2.8-10 range is an excellent all-around range for a 3030 lever rifle. The 10X magnification offers more than enough power for longer shots, and the 2.8 magnification works well for close-in shots in thick cover.

Built on a 1-inch tube, this Simmons Aetec scope weighs in at a hefty 16 ounces and is 13.4 inches long. While this scope seems to perform well in low light dawn and dusk situations, the low performance is not as good as the Leupold scopes I highlighted above. However, that’s to be expected as this Aetec scope costs less than half as much as a Leupold.

Pros Cons Optical quality is average, which is about what you would expect for the cost

The illuminated reticle is a deal at this price point

Much heavier than expected for a 1-inch tube in this power range

The illuminated reticle does not have an auto-shutoff feature

The eye relief is advertised as 3.5″, which is right on the edge of being a bit short.

If you are shopping for a Simmons Aetec 2.8-10×44, here are the best prices I was able to locate:

Meopta MeoPro 6×42

If you are not a fan of

SMYRNA, GA. – January 16, 2024 The New Year brings new products to the table from GLOCK, including the first GLOCK Performance Trigger, the expansion of the Gen5 lineup to new calibers, and the introduction of the GLOCK 47 MOS to the commercial market. GLOCK remains the center of trusted versatility and enhanced performance.

“The G47 MOS delivers versatility and dependability for the evolving needs of our customers and has withstood the rigorous testing of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)“, says Josh Dorsey, Vice President of GLOCK, Inc. „We are excited to make this model available on the commercial market along with the expansion of the Gen5 product line and the GLOCK Performance Trigger.“

The G47 MOS was developed for the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in 2019. The G47 MOS offers the same reliability and performance as the G17 Gen5 MOS, with a shortened dust cover and maintains parts compatibility with the G17 Gen5 MOS, G19 Gen5 MOS, and G45 MOS. This pistol has the same sight radius as the G17 and is able to showcase exceptional accuracy.

BJ Norris, a 3-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol and member of the CBP National Marksmanship Unit says, „For the agents seeing the shooting team out winning competitions with their duty gun takes away any doubts about performance capabilities.

Due to the highly precise GLOCK manufacturing process, the versatility and interchangability are what makes this pistol unique. The G47 MOS has compatibility with the G19 Gen5 and G45; allowing customers to configure it to best suit their needs. The G47 MOS will replace the G17 Gen5 MOS, while the G17 Gen5 (non-MOS) will still remain in the Gen5 lineup.

Expanding the Gen5 lineup, the G20 Gen5 MOS (10mm AUTO) and G21 Gen5 MOS (.45 AUTO) feature over twenty design changes which distinguish them from their Gen4 predecessors by combining the standards of performance and reliability. The Gen5 enhancements include the GLOCK Marksman Barrel (GMB) utilizing new barrel rifling to deliver improved accuracy, the removal of finger grooves to be more adaptable to a wider variety of hand sizes, an ambidextrous slide-stop lever to provide improved control and flexibility, an nDLC finish making it a tougher and more durable finish that is exclusive to the GLOCK manufacturing process, and a flared magwell to increase performance by making it easier to funnel the magazine into the magwell.

In addition to the new pistol introductions, we are happy to announce the release of the first GLOCK pistol accessory, the GLOCK Performance Trigger. The GLOCK Performance Trigger was designed to meet a different set of criteria and offers a refined trigger pull. The Performance Trigger utilizes a newly designed, flat-faced trigger and maintains the same safety features of the trusted and proven GLOCK Safe Action® System. The GLOCK Performance Trigger must be installed by a certified GLOCK Armorer and is compatible with the following pistol models: G17 Gen5, G19 Gen5, G19X, G26 Gen5, G34 Gen5, G45, and G47 MOS. To purchase the GLOCK Performance Trigger, check with your local dealer for availability.

Small game hunting is a time-honored tradition, and it’s the perfect way to get first-time hunters into the woods. Squirrels are everywhere, and they don’t require specialized equipment, scent maskers, hunting blinds or 4 am wake-up calls.

They also don’t require half a day to clean and dress. With a little practice, you can clean and gut a squirrel in under a minute.

Generally, large grey squirrels are hunted for meat. Red squirrels are much smaller, but they still have a substantial amount of meat for such a small body.

I have yet to weigh a squirrel before and after dressing, but I’d guess they dress out to about 60% of live weight. By comparison, woodchucks dress out to less than 30% live weight.

If you’re a small landowner or homesteader, the size of the squirrel isn’t always correlated with the damage they cause. We’ve had a bumper crop of red squirrels this year, and they’ve destroyed more than one crop. When they tore into the side of the house and started noisily defending our attached greenhouse as their territory, they quickly added themselves to the menu.

A few days later, a well-placed shot with a .22 took out this particular squirrel after he left the greenhouse. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to cleaning this particular catch. I assumed it’d take forever to skin a squirrel, but a bit of quick internet research showed me differently.

For the most part, we process hogs here on the homestead, and the hides on those beasts are well attached. It takes a lot of work with a knife to tease meat away from the hide.

Squirrels are different, and you can more or less pull the whole pelt off in one clean piece.

I watched a few youtube videos on skinning squirrels in particular, and all of them showed the same technique. Start by removing the feet, and then cut loose the skin at the base of the tail. Step on the tail and pull up.

The whole pelt should come off in one piece, except for the back legs. Those are peeled off after the fact, by hand or with a pair of catfish skinners.

Sounds simple enough. I ended up using a slightly different technique that’s very fast, and once I got the process down it takes about 1 minute to clean and gut a squirrel. I’ve written up the detailed instructions below, but I also made a quick video showing the process at full speed.

The first step is to remove the feet. My 3-year-old daughter wanted to help, so I gave her a pair of scissors to remove the feet, but a knife works well too.

The bones are delicate, and it doesn’t take much pressure to remove them. Since there are so few cuts, you could clean and gut a squirrel start to finish with a small pair of scissors in a pinch.

After the feet are removed, it’s time to make the first (and only) cut into the hide.

Grab the squirrel by the tail and locate the anus.

Take a sharp knife and slice just above the anus to sever the tailbone. The idea is to sever the tailbone, but leave it attached by a flap of squirrel pelt. Cut up along the back short ways so that there’s a good-sized flap of skin.

Be sure to remove any meat attached to the pelt. If you’ve cut into the squirrel hind quarter meat and left it on the pelt, it’ll pull the squirrel apart when you go to strip the squirrel pelt.

The next step is where my instructions differ from the experts. Perhaps it’s because I’m skinning a red squirrel instead of a larger grey squirrel, but “stepping on the tail and pulling up on the body” didn’t skin the squirrel.

All it did was skin the tail. I now have a piece of tail pelt and a fully stripped tailbone.

So I tried again, this time I stepped up higher on the tail, closer to the base.

The whole tail just ripped right off.

That’s been my experience in general with red squirrels, and they don’t require stepping to come apart. A small amount of finger pressure and the whole squirrel suit comes off in one clean piece.

No need to step on a tail, or get out the catfish skinners.

Just slip your fingers into the skin and in around the hips. Pull the base of the tail toward the scruff of the neck.

The skin will easily pull up off the entire back of the squirrel.

When you get up to the shoulders, slip your finger in and help free the upper arms.

Then go down to the back end and slide the squirrel pelt off of the hind legs.

At this point, the only thing holding the squirrel pelt on is the head.

Since this squirrel, I’ve cut off the head at the same time as the feet at the beginning. That allows for a much smoother process.

And there you have it, with just one cut at the base of the tail (and a few more to remove the feet and head), the squirrel is completely skinned.

The next step is gutting, which goes just as quickly.

Make a shallow knife cut down the center of the squirrel, starting just below the rib cage. Avoid puncturing any of the gut.

Pull out the organs, and then be sure to use a finger to remove the organs in the chest cavity. Those include the lungs and heart, and they’re separated from the other guts by the diaphragm.

If you’ve never gutted an animal before you might miss this part because it’s in a separate internal chamber.

Once all the organs are removed, split the pelvis and remove any last bits of intestine hiding within the pubic bone.

Since the squirrel is so small, it’s easy enough to leave it whole. But if you’d like, squirrel meat also breaks down easily into parts.

Dusting the pieces of the squirrel in flour and browning the meat will help retain moisture, just like they do in this squirrel stew with paprika and greens recipe.

Since making this original tutorial, I made a quick video showing the whole process.

After the initial setup, I do talk you through the whole process in just about 1 minute of video time.

Now that you’ve cleaned and gutted a squirrel, how on earth do you cook it? For the most part, a squirrel is cooked like a rabbit. I’ll have a few squirrel recipes up on the blog soon, but here are a few to get you started.

• Cider Braised Squirrel from Bon Appetit
• Braised Squirrel With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Pinot Noir from Field and Stream
• Instant Pot Squirrel
• Buttermilk Fried Squirrel

Prepare to follow me down a naturalist’s rabbit hole.

Not long after moving to Idaho’s mountains in 2005, I became acquainted with an odd burr that kept attaching to my shoes and socks and to the coats of my two Malamutes when we explored the forest. Local friends told me they were called beggar’s lice.

A distasteful name perfectly suited to the annoying plant seed.

Lice (louse, singular) are parasitic insects that feed on the blood of host birds and mammals, including people, clinging at the base of hair or feathers or sucking into skin.

Beggar’s lice are seeds from the houndstongue plant (cynoglossum officinale). The seeds are nature’s Velcro, covered in tiny prongs that grab and stick to anything that happens to brush the plant when the seeds are mature. Your shoes, socks and pant legs, your dogs’ coats, the hides of deer and elk, bears, coyotes, wolves, cougars, and livestock (horses, sheep and cattle) are all wonderful hosts for beggar’s lice.

Talk about an effective and efficient seed disbursement strategy for a plant. Imagine how far the seeds might travel embedded on the hides of wildlife.

According to an article published by the Montana State University Extension:

In Montana, a single houndstongue plant typically produces 300 to 675 seeds per year, but exceptionally robust plants may produce up to 2000 seeds. Seeds either fall nearby to the ground or remain on the parent plant where they are positioned to attach to a passing animal or person. Seeds may be carried long distances this way. Seeds on the soil surface often dry out and fail to germinate, whereas seeds buried about an inch under the soil may remain viable for two to three years. Houndstongue seeds do not form large or persistent seeds banks in the soil, and germination generally requires some form of scarification or softening of the seed coat. [Scarification means breaching the natural seed coat by mechanical, thermal, or microbial methods.]

In the forest I regularly haunt, houndstongue grows in disturbed areas – where there’s been logging, or trail or road building. I usually see it surrounding logging slash piles alongside abandoned logging roads, whether the pile was burned or not. In early summer they produce pretty purple blooms, belying the nastiness of the seeds to come.

Now that I have two male dogs, I’ve noticed that houndstongue plants are as popular with canids for marking in the forest as fire hydrants and mail boxes are for dogs in cities. Perhaps it’s because the plants are growing alongside much-traveled paths and are tall, up to four feet high, allowing the scent to disperse easily over a greater distance. My dogs smell the marker left by some other creature – dog, fox, coyote, wolf – and feel compelled to add their own, resulting in seeds attaching in large numbers to their heads and necks as they get a good sniff of any existing scent, then to their flanks as they get close enough to lift a leg and leave their own mark.

Usually I watch helplessly as this transpires, and remember fondly have only female dogs. I try to call the boys away from the plants, but that rarely works. Biology requires they cover the other canid’s mark. It’s how they all communicate. It’s a rare foray into the forest that doesn’t result in a least a few beggar’s lice on one or both dogs.

When the boys do end up with a generous portion of beggar’s lice on their coats on the trail, I try to pull most of them off immediately before they have a chance to get tangled deeper into their fur. In winter, this means taking off gloves in frigid temperatures because the seeds will stick to my gloves. It’s an annoyance I’ve gotten used to, and the boys have learned to stay still while I pull the seeds off, muttering bad words under my breath.

Once home I take the boys into the yard and use a standard hair brush to remove most of the remaining beggar’s lice and, in late summer, the grass seeds they also acquire. I invariably miss some, but the boys are quite adept at removing those they can reach with their mouths, pulling the beggar’s lice from their fur with their small front teeth and either spitting them out onto the floor (or my bed) or swallowing them for later natural disposal.

Any seeds that remain, that they can’t reach, I eventually find by massaging my fingers through their coat and pulling out what I find. The beggar’s lice and grass seeds that attach to their feet can become a problem if they work their way between toes or into the crevices between pads, so I check feet regularly and either pull the seeds out, or in some cases cut them out with scissors if they’re so tangled that pulling is painful. The sharp, black grass seeds that are prolific right now can work their way into the skin, especially between toes, causing painful ulcerations. Neither dog likes me poking between their toes with my fingers, but we all suffer through it in order to prevent something worse.

In the 15 years I’ve played in this forest, I’ve learned to take the long, philosophical view: beggar’s lice are here to stay. It’s a waste of energy to get mad when the dogs get into them, or to try to avoid the plants altogether. They’re too prolific. I’ve no doubt beggar’s lice, along with cockroaches, will survive the worst impacts of climate change and could probably survive a nuclear holocaust. On a positive note, picking beggar’s lice and other seeds from my dogs’ coats and feet is a sort of bonding ritual, not unlike that of chimpanzees grooming parasites from each other. I don’t eat the seeds I pick, though.

Way More Than You Need to Know, But It’s Kind of Interesting

Houndstongue is native to Asia and Europe. An invasive species in the United States, it most likely arrived in the late 1800s in contaminated cereal seed. It’s now listed as a noxious weed in seven western states: Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, and Montana. It’s a hardy little bugger (pun intended). One year it will send down a tap root as far as three feet into the ground, storing food for year two when it produces all those beggar’s lice.

Houndstongue is known by a number of common names: beggar’s lice, dog’s tongue, sheep bur, dog bur, sheep lice, glovewort, and woolmat – which suggest the problematic nature of its barbed seeds that stick to fur, fleece, and clothing.

Montana State University Extension

Houndstongue foliage can also be toxic to livestock, particularly horses and cattle.

As with most plants, throughout time humans have found medicinal uses for houndstongue. The Wikipedia entry for the plant contains the following subcategory describing some of its past uses:

Herbalism: In 1725, houndstooth was presented in the family dictionary, Dictionaire oeconomique, as part of a cure for madness. In that book, madness was viewed as “a distemper, not only of the understanding, but also of the reason and memory, proceeding from a cold, which drys up everything it meets with that is humid in the brain.” To cure madness, Dictionaire oeconomique noted:

“You must shave the head of the unhappy patient, and after that, apply to it a pidgeon, or a hen quite alive; or else bathe it with some brandy distilled with rosemary, elder, hounds tooth, and the roots of bugloss, or with the oyl of elder flowers: they rub their heads and wash their feet with a decoction of the flowers of camomile, melilot, balm gentle and laurel; they put into their noses the juice of comfrey, with either two or three spoonfuls of honey-water, broth, or white-wine, wherein wormwood and sage are infus’d ; or else they do for five and twenty days together, mix with their broth in the morning, half a dram of the ashes of tortoise, and they put into the pot bugloss, borage, with a pinch of rosemary to season it.”

…By the end of the 1830s, doctors in England were using houndstooth as an antiaphrodisiac to combat venereal excesses.

No thanks!

Ironic that a plant producing so many madness-inducing Velcro-like seeds was once considered a cure for madness. I can, though, see it as an effective anti-aphrodisiac, especially if beggar’s lice are involved. The name alone would be effective.

Additional lore and uses, both practical and magical, included in the MSU Extension article:

• The name houndstongue comes from the belief that a leaf worn in the shoe could ward off dog attacks.

• Extracts of roots and leaves of houndstongue have been used in folk remedies for various ailments including fever, eczema, acne vulgaris, and hemorrhoids.

• Houndstongue ointment is said to cure baldness.

• The red pigments of the outer root surface are antibacterial and reportedly have wound-healing properties.

• Roots and leaves have been used as pesticides and leaves have been used to repel moles in gardens and rodents from stored foods.

And finally, from a 1983 article for Mother Earth News, a tip for an easy way to remove beggar’s lice from clothing: A corn cob can serve as a clothes brush, too. For example, if you’ve ever traipsed through the woods, you’re probably familiar with those dry little burrs called beggar’s-lice that have a habit of clinging to your clothing. Well, whenever I come home covered with the stickers, I don’t waste my time picking the pesky seeds off one by one. I simply grab a corn cob and scrub them off with a few quick swipes.

Re-emerging from the Rabbit Hole

Whew. Sorry, that was a rather deep rabbit hole I took you down, one probably littered with beggar’s lice plucked from the fur of the hare that lives there using its little buck teeth. But kind of fun, right? I might go buy some fresh corn ears at the local farmer’s market, see whether the cob makes a good clothing and/or dog brush.

Featured photo: close up of beggar’s lice found on this morning’s walk in the Payette National Forest, after Conall removed several by brushing against it.

For well over 100 years the most popular configuration in a lever action is a .30-30 caliber carbine with a handy, maneuverable 20-inch barrel. But a few years ago, it looked like the era of readily available lever actions was over as Winchester closed its doors and Marlin experienced production delays after it manufacturing facilities were relocated.

For a while Mossberg was about the only source for a hunting-ready lever action .30-30 with its Model 464, although Winchester and Marlin are now back in the fold as well. So for those of you pining for a new all-American hunting tool, here’s a head-to-head performance review featuring a classic .30-30 carbine from each.

When requesting test samples, I specified 20-inch barrels in .30-30 Win. caliber, in a standard configuration without bells and whistles. Marlin sent its Model 336C, which the company considers its flagship lever action. Although it has several nice but subtle features such as checkering and a grip cap, it’s not fancy. In fact, it’s the second least expensive model the company offers. A thin rubber buttpad does little to dampen recoil but prevents the rifle from slipping and clattering to the tile floor when it’s propped in the kitchen corner. Capable sights, decent straight-grain walnut and a satin metal finish complete the package.

Mossberg provided a sample of its pistol-gripped Model 464. Like the Marlin, it features checkered walnut stocks and a thin rubber buttpad. Sights feature fiber-optic inserts, which are helpful in low light but less robust than simple steel sights. One Model 464 costs less – the straight-gripped version without checkering or fiber optics – but only by $37. The nicer version is worth the dollars.

After the first Winchester I received wouldn’t accept a scope, I swapped it for the 94 Short Rifle, which has the same 20-inch barrel as the carbine but sports a steel fore-end cap and optic compatibility for a measly $30 more. A traditional (and slippery) plastic buttplate graces the carbine, and the clean, straight-grain walnut stocks are free of checkering.

To give each .30-30 carbine a fair and equal shake, I mounted matching Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x32mm riflescopes for accuracy testing. The slim little optic is one of my favorites for any quick-handling, lightweight hunting rifle, and it’s particularly suitable for a lever gun.

I also used Leupold hardware to mount the scopes. Putting an optic on the Marlin was painless. I simply screwed down the mount, installed the rings and leveled up the scope before torqueing the screws to spec.

The Mossberg was equally easy; once I’d obtained the correct bases. Oddly, the carbine takes two of the front bases intended for a Winchester. Once that dilemma was solved and the duplicate hardware obtained, the Leupold mounted up beautifully.

The Winchester base protrudes forward and partially blocks the ejection port, and I was initially concerned it would interfere with ejection, but both empty cases and unfired cartridges ejected without argument. However, all things considered, a pair of No. 403 Weaver cross-slot bases is an easier solution.

With Winchester 94 Short Rifle, the bases and rings screwed into place perfectly. With only low rings on hand, I had to finesse the optic to just the right spot to prevent interference with the rear sight. Medium-height rings would work better unless a scope without a belled objective housing was used.

What with barrel bands, weighty magazine tubes hanging from slender barrels and fore-ends that are anything but free-floated, I suppose it would be kinder to allow one’s .30-30 carbine to cool between groups, but lever actions are often shot fast and frequently, and I wanted to see how well they held their point of impact and accuracy. So I fired three consecutive three-shot groups with each type of ammunition without pause except to reload. I did allow the carbines to cool thoroughly between ammo types.

To my surprise, accuracy didn’t deteriorate materially as the barrels heated, and in the case of the Winchester – which started out good – accuracy got even better. Nor did point of impact wander appreciably.

Also surprising is that the Winchester averaged the best overall accuracy. Many Marlin aficionados will boast that rifles from their favored company will outshoot the average Winchester, but in these new-made lever guns the Winchester ruled. Although each of the other two produced sub-two-m.o.a. averages with one type of ammunition, the Winchester scored sub-two-m.o.a. with two of the three types of test ammo.

As you’ll see by perusing the accuracy charts, the Marlin preferred Barnes VOR-TX 150-grain TSX ammo, the Mossberg shot the Hornady LeverEvolution 160-grain Flex-Tip best, and the Winchester – perhaps appropriately – shot Winchester 170-grain Power-Point into tidy groups indeed. It fact, it shaded just outside of one m.o.a., eyebrow-raising accuracy from a lever gun.

It’s interesting to note that the faster-twist rifles, the Marlin and the Mossberg, shot bullets in the lighter-weight range better, while the Winchester’s slower 1:12 twist provided best accuracy with the heavier 170-grain bullets. That’s counterintuitive to conventional bullet-stabilizing expectations – until you factor in the extra length of the all-copper Barnes 150-grain TSX and the boattailed, polymer-tipped Hornady 160-grain Flex-Tip. Although the 170-grain Winchester is heavier, its flat-nosed, flat-base, lead-core design makes it easy to stabilize.

I also tested for reliability. Why? As one buddy would put it, “There’s a picture of a lever action beside the definition of ‘reliability’ in the dictionary.” Perhaps I have an extraordinary ability to make things malfunction and break, but I’ve used lots of gun designs that should never jam yet they do. So as I shot the three lever guns, I kept track.

Only two hiccups stood out. One was minor: The Marlin was stubborn to load. Not that the cartridges stuck, but the loading gate was really tigh,t and the path into the tubular magazine felt rough as the rounds were thumbed in.

The other issue occurred with the Mossberg. After each empty was ejected and the lever was closing, the new cartridge heading into the chamber tended to hang up halfway in. A quick joggle on the lever usually resulted in its letting go and chambering easily, but at least twice it stuck hard, requiring me to finger it out and start over.

By very design a lever action should run fast and smooth, so I couldn’t really ignore the problem. However, it’s worth noting I’ve had considerable experience with Mossberg’s Marinecote 464 – an early weather-resistant iteration now discontinued – and it ran like greased lightning.

As for the Model 94, it loaded, fed and fired in stellar fashion – just as one would expect from the highest-selling lever-action model (more than 7 million units) in history.

With accuracy testing complete, I spent some time shooting each of the lever-action carbines casually, thumping distant large targets, shooting at smaller ones up close, and levering fast shots into a half-bushel box at about 25 yards as quickly as I could. Which leads us to the way they feel.

All three carbines balance beautifully in the hands, are responsive in the extreme, and shoulder and point nicely. Decades ago — after mankind’s primary mode of transportation shifted away from horseback — Marlin beefed-up the fore-ends of its carbines. As a result, trying to push one into a saddle

scabbard sucks, but they feel good in the support hand and point more naturally than their more slender cousins. I’ve always thought the fat fore-ends look ugly and don’t feel right to me, but in fairness I must admit they do rest comfortably in the hand.

While bead front sights were once popular for deep-woods, fast-and-close shooting, I grew up shooting match-type post front sights and struggle to achieve consistency with a bead. However, they are traditional, and many shooters do well with them.

The only real ergonomic issue I encountered with any of the three carbines was with the Mossberg’s lever, and it was a result of the wood-to-metal fit along the lower tang behind the trigger, where the wood stands considerably proud. Like the Winchester, the Mossberg features a trigger block activated by opening the lever. To fire, the lever must be squeezed

completely closed, and occasionally when I squeezed it the lever it pinched a fold of skin from the fleshy lower part of my birdy finger. It got my attention, I can tell you.

I despise any sort of safety other than a half-cock notch on a lever action, but they appear to be here to stay. There’s nothing worse than squeezing a trigger on a good buck and hearing the horrible loud “click” that signifies your failure to disengage the safety. You’ve then got to ear the hammer back again (another click), thumb the safety off (and yet another click) and hope against hope you can get another crack at the buck.

Complaints registered, I prefer the tang-located safeties of the Winchester and Mossberg to the crossbolt safety of the Marlin. They are much easier to access without shifting your firing-hand grip. However, the actual safety slide on the Mossberg is made of plastic, and I don’t think plastic belongs on a lever action.

When it comes to fit and finish, I’ll just come right out and say the Winchester Model 94 has the best

wood-to-metal fit, and the high gloss blue on the metal parts is both superbly beautiful and appropriate. It will shrug off corrosion more easily than a coarser finish, too. As for the walnut stocks, the finish is simple and non-shiny. A bit better filling in the wood pores and a few coats of hand-rubbed oil would bring out the depth and beauty of the wood better, but there’s nothing ugly about it as is.

Next best on the fit and finish scale is the Marlin. Wood-to-metal seams aren’t perfect by any means, but they’re respectable, and the metal has a nice brushed satin finish. The wood is finished in a spray-on varnish, a durable option.

Finally, the Mossberg features a brushed satin finish similar to that of the Marlin. It offers respectably tight wood-to-metal joints, but in most areas the wood stands a bit too proud for my taste. In the lower tang area mentioned earlier, it creates a bit of discomfort. On a favorable note, I prefer the Mossberg’s slender fore-end to the bulky fore-end of the Marlin, and the reddish stain on the well-filled walnut is very attractive.

This isn’t really an apples-to-apples comparison because you can literally purchase two of the Marlin or Mossberg rifles for the cost of one Winchester. As you’ve seen throughout the evaluation, the Winchester consistently outperforms the other two, which makes good sense: If you’re going to pay that much more you should get more performance.

Candidly, I didn’t expect it to turn out that way. You pay a good deal for the Winchester Model 94 name, and, conversely, Marlin rifles have an outstanding reputation for offering tremendous performance for the dollar. Frankly, I expected the two to run neck and neck through most of the tests.

The takeaway? If you like fine rifles and want one superb, classic, historical tool that will offer the utmost performance of its genre, pony up the money for a Winchester Model 94.

If, on the other hand, you want the allure of a lever action coupled with a more practical price tag, opt for either of the other two. The Marlin is an established name in lever actions, and features an action legendary for strength and smooth operation, but the Mossberg runs about $100 less. You won’t go wrong with either.

Field judging black bears is notoriously difficult. They might just be one of the most difficult species to judge. Not only can it be hard to tell a big one from a little one, but sows and boars look very similar…and sows can get big!

If you’ve ever put yourself in a fast decision, quick draw scenario, then you know what it’s like to sit at a high stakes black bear gambling table. But, with a bit of pre-game day know-how and the help of a few tricks, those all too commonly experienced ground shrinkage issues should be no problem to steer clear of.

Field Judging Black Bears

1. Hunt an area that consistently produces big boars.
2. Learn how to know the difference between a sow and a boar.
3. Look for a stout neck and a wide head with “small” ears on the sides.
4. Look at the size of the body.
5. Watch how they move.
6. Compare them with the bait barrel.
7. Watch for rutting activity.

Hunt an area that consistently produces big boars.

Big bears are very particular about where they live. If you’re not hunting in those areas, you won’t kill a mature boar.

It is the giant super intellectual, predatory boars that keep every hunter daydreaming, and these old un-hunted crankers are our objective and goal. While these specific bears are choosy about a lot of things, much the same as any other big old age class animal, they are firstly very particular about where they live.

These giant boars will hold and defend prime areas.

If you are not in an area that has big bear, and focusses calculated strike effort specifically at them, you may as well have stayed home.

How to tell the difference between a sow and a boar.

The first thing when your field judging black bears is to determine whether it’s a sow or boar. At times this is exceedingly easy when it’s a mature boar, but it can sometimes be difficult to tell difference between a battle hardened old sow and a big boar. Age catches up to us all. Until boars start approaching adult weights at 7-9 years old, it can be very tough to tell them from sows.

When you hunt with an outfitter that targets large, age class boars, and discourages shooting sows will tip the odds in your favor. This management ideology just makes sense. After all, sows are crucial to population dynamics, they are the best big boar bait available.

If a bear has cubs with it, it’s a sow.

In every case where you see a larger sized bear with one or more quite notably smaller and obviously dependent bears, the larger bear is guaranteed to be a sow. However, many sows will have young of the year that they won’t bring with them into a bait site. They’ll stash their cubs in a tree before coming into the bait. Given any opportunity will kill cubs, a mature boar will kill and eat her cubs, so as to bring a sow into estrus cycle.

A dead ringer with sows is the visible presence of nipples.

On wet (nursing) sows with young, the cubs pull out hair around the nipples which can profile them, making them visible, even from broadside, and this can be especially evident on older, larger sows. A good outfitter will set up the bait to give you “angle views” that can really help in obtaining this visual.

Look at the head.

Female black bears have broad heads and narrow muzzles.

Females’ faces are slender and more pointed than males. The smaller the ears look and the farther apart they seem, the better the bear. If you can envision an imaginary upside down triangle on the bear’s head going down to its nose, and all sides are equal, then it’s a mature bear.

A mature boar’s head is quite wide, and will have a thicker, stouter neck.

Boars with some years under their belt will always appear to have smaller ears that are off more to the side of the head than up top. They can show a quite distinct center line crease that runs down their forehead from between their ears. This muscle structure can be quite predominate and noticeable on some big boars.

The smaller the ears look and the farther apart they seem, the better the bear.

If you can envision an imaginary upside down triangle on the bear’s head going down to its nose, and all sides are equal, then it’s a mature bear. A young bear’s head will look big and its ears will look huge and almost touch. Young bears also move at a quick pace and seem skittish and clumsy.

Body Size

Look at length of legs, chest size and how big the head is in comparison to the body.

If his head and ears look small in comparison to his body he’s a giant. If his legs look thick top to bottom, that’s a good sign. A boar’s leg will look as big below the knee as above the knee. A sow’s legs will have a V shape from top to bottom.

Mature boars will exhibit what appear to be blocky, low to the ground profiles.

Watch for bears that are exceptionally wide across the brisket with heavy, wide set front legs. Watch for what appears to be shorter more evenly tipped hair. Big boars do not normally look shaggy with longer ratty looking coats as do younger bear, though belly hair will hang low pronouncing the big belly look. Magnum old sows can exhibit these same profile traits though, so nothing is static. All of these confirmation dynamics are affected by genetics and range factors, and black bears are diverse creatures with individual traits, similar to people in that way.

There is nearly no mistaking a big boars, how they move and how they conduct themselves, especially when around other bears. Big is big. Nearly anyone can identify a true giant boar.

They will rule every roost they roll into. Other bears will openly display caution and fear when they make an appearance at the party. Yes they look just like that discovery channel monster on TV. Really big bears will have a crease down the center of their forehead, and often scars on their faces. A giant boar can also appear so big it looks like he’s dragging his belly when he moves.

If the neck looks almost as big in front of the shoulder as his body does behind the shoulder, he’s a shooter.

That said however, it’s an entirely different issue with a medium to large bear. Field judging black bears of this caliber becomes difficult. Even younger, smaller framed bear often look like they belong in this class without the strong utilization of visual sizing aids.

Big bears move like they are big.

Large bears also move slowly, swaying side to side with a big belly and an air of confidence about them.

They can display indecisiveness, but all animals including people take pause when thinking and processing info, however, they will not be the bear that gets jumpy at every sound out there. If a bear comes in and has all other bears clear and undivided attention, promoting rapid submission or displays of fear, it will be a boar.

The body language of a non-submissive large male in any specie is a rapid telltale of dominance, and such intolerant mannerism is as well the case with dominant big boars.

If you see ripped up ears and/or heavy facial fight scarring on a big bear, do not waste any more time looking, it is show time. If you see a larger profile bear moving and trailing a smaller bear into the bait site, take the time to be sure, but it is virtually guaranteed to be a boar following a hot sow in.

A great method for field judging black bears is to compare them to the bait barrel.

If a bear is as tall as a barrel standing on its end, shoot!

Bait barrels are a great tool to use in size determination. In addition, it really helps to cut logs at each bait site that are 5 feet in length. If a bear meets/exceeds the length of these on the ground, it will likely be a shooter.

To aide in sex identification, strategically placed tree mounted “candy” jars provide a standing, unobstructed belly view.

Hopefully this overview can help a bit with this notorious subject of field judging black bears.

Big black bears can be a challenge to successfully square off with, but so long as moves are calculated, one nearly cannot go wrong. The hope is for giant net book 21 inch boars to be the first bear to walk in on everyone out there, but until that happens, keep looking those bear over and have fun!

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