Many people use the flat shooting 6.5 PRC for hunting deer, elk, and many other species of big game with excellent results. Here are a few great brands of 6.5 PRC ammo that will probably serve you well next time you’re afield.

Released in 2018, the 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge (sometimes known as the 6.5 Hornady PRC or just 6.5 PRC) has taken the hunting world by storm. Designed to use the same high BC bullets as the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 6.5 PRC has a larger case capacity and can shoot those bullets 200-300fps faster.

When compared to the 6.5 mm Creedmoor cartridge, the 6.5 PRC has a flatter trajectory with less bullet drop, more resistance to wind drift, and more retained energy at long distances. Additionally, with an overall length of just 2.955″, the 6.5 PRC will also still function in many short-action rifles.

The end result is that the 6.5 PRC is a flat shooting, hard hitting, and moderately recoiling cartridge capable of the highest levels of accuracy that still functions in a short action rifle. These factors have made the 6.5 PRC a very popular centerfire rifle cartridge among hunters in recent years.

Indeed, the 6.5 PRC compares favorably to many other 6.5 mm cartridges (like the 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 Grendel, 6.5-284 Norma, etc.) as well as bigger cartridges like the 300 Win Mag and 7mm Rem Mag in certain areas.

While it is definitely gaining in popularity, not all manufacturers produce ammunition for it as it is still a specialized and relatively new cartridge. However, famous brands like Federal Premium, Nosler, and Winchester have all recently joined Hornady in producing factory 6.5 PRC ammunition for hunting elk, deer, moose, black bears, and many other big game animals in North America and elsewhere.

While the 6.5 PRC absolutely excels on deer sized game, it is also powerful enough for use hunting bigger game like black bear and elk when using heavy for caliber, premium ammunition loaded with controlled expansion bullets.

It’s important to realize that different hunting situations necessitate the use of different kinds of 6.5 PRC ammo for best results and using the wrong ammunition can lead to disastrous performance.

For instance, a load using a rapidly expanding bullet that’s ideal for use on whitetail deer would be a terrible choice for use on really big game like moose or elk.

Make no mistake, while it’s a little on the light side for extremely large game, the 6.5 PRC can be an extremely effective cartridge for hunting elk, but you do need to use proper bullets if you plan on using the 6.5 PRC for elk.

Fortunately, hunters now have access to a great selection of controlled expansion bullets that perform very well on really big game like elk and moose.

Keep all of this in mind when you select 6.5 PRC ammo for an upcoming hunt.

Additionally, while they can be very accurate and are certainly capable of killing big game animals, I don’t recommend using bullets designed for target shooting or marketed as match ammo like the Sierra MatchKing or Hornady ELD Match for hunting.

This is because target or match bullets usually aren’t designed for optimum terminal performance on big game animals and you may run into issues with poor penetration.

Instead, it’s best to stick with 6.5 PRC ammo specifically designed for hunting that uses soft point, jacketed hollow point, or similar hunting bullets.

Fortunately, there is a large (and growing) selection of 6.5 PRC factory loads specifically designed for just almost any big game hunting situation in the United States or elsewhere in the world. So, regardless of whether you’re using a bolt action Browning X-Bolt, a Christensen Arms Ridgeline, a Tikka T3, or some other hunting rifle, there is pretty much guaranteed to be something for everyone on the list below of the best 6.5 PRC ammunition for hunting.

In this article, I’m going to provide recommendations for the best 6.5 PRC ammo for hunting elk, deer, feral hogs, pronghorn, black bear, and all sorts of other big game. I’ll also go over the strengths and weaknesses of each individual load and so you can select the right ammunition for your specific needs.

Note: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase of rifle, handgun, rimfire, or shotgun ammunition through those links. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself. Thanks for your support.

Hornady Precision Hunter

The 6.5 PRC absolutely excels at long distance where the almost laser flat trajectory and wind bucking characteristics of the cartridge become extremely important. It should come as no surprise then that Hornady includes the 6.5 PRC in their Precision Hunter line of factory ammo. As a matter of fact, this was the very first factory hunting ammo option for the cartridge and it’s still a good choice today.

Loaded with the extremely aerodynamic Extremely Low Drag eXpanding (ELD-X) bullet, this ammo line is designed for western hunters going after game like mule deer or pronghorn antelope who need the very best ammo for a long range hunting situation. Using a 143 grain ELD-X bullet, that load is a very good 6.5 PRC ammo option for hunters wanting to maximize the extended range performance of the cartridge.

Hornady advertises that the ELD-X bullet has the best-in-class ballistic coefficients over their entire trajectory and that their Precision Hunter ammunition also offers match grade accuracy (usually sub-MOA).

Though the ELD-X does not have a bonded core like the Hornady InterBond, the ELD-X does feature a thicker jacket and the Hornady InterLock ring to help increase weight retention, control expansion, and minimize the chances of core-jacket separation. For this reason, the ELD-X is still devastating on deer and pronghorn sized game, but it’s also a much better choice than their SST bullet for use on larger game.

That said, the ELD-X is still a little too fragile for my tastes. Many hunters use this exact ammunition on elk each year with a lot of success. Personally, I prefer a tougher bullet for elk sized game (like the Barnes LRX, Nosler AccuBond Long Range, Hornady CX, or Federal Terminal Ascent also on this list). I think the ELD-X is perfect for deer sized game though.

All things considered, this 6.5 PRC ammunition is capable of delivering great terminal performance on many species of big game for shots at 400+ yards without dealing with the price or recoil of the big magnum cartridges.

• Bullet Type: Hornady Extremely Low Drag eXpanding
• Bullet Weight: 143 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .625
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,960 feet per second (2,782 ft-lbs of muzzle energy)

GET PRECISION HUNTER 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Palmetto State Armory, and Sportsman’s Warehouse

Barnes VOR-TX Long Range

Barnes recently added a 6.5 PRC ammo option to their VOR-TX Long Range line. Featuring their legendary copper Long Range Expanding (LRX) bullets, Barnes ammunition is designed for rapid expansion, high weight retention, and deep penetration.

Available using 127gr 6.5mm bullets, Barnes now offers another outstanding choice for hunters looking for a tough 6.5 PRC ammo option suitable for bigger game like elk hunting. This particular loading uses a 127gr LRX bullet. Designed for use at extended range, these bullets have a higher ballistic coefficient and are built to expand well at lower velocities when compared to the regular Barnes TTSX bullets.

Fortunately, even the LRX bullet is still very tough and will deliver great weight retention and deep penetration. You can also depend on it to perform well at close range. Not every hunter will need the extended range performance of the LRX, but it’s an excellent offering for those who want it.

This load is also 100% copper, which makes it an ideal choice of 6.5 PRC hunting ammunition for use in states like California that that don’t permit the use of lead bullets.

I’m a big fan of the Barnes VOR-TX line and the LRX bullets in general. I’ve used this ammunition with a lot of success on both deer and pronghorn over the past few years. This ammo is also a favorite among many North America, New Zealand, and Africa hunting outfitters.

• Bullet Type: Long Range Expanding (LRX)
• Bullet Weight: 127 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .468
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,010 feet per second (2,554 ft-lbs of muzzle energy)

GET BARNES 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner, Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, & Sportsman’s Warehouse

Federal Premium Terminal Ascent

Federal’s Terminal Ascent line is another good option of 6.5 PRC hunting ammo for hunters looking for really good extended range performance. This ammunition uses the new Terminal Ascent Bullet, which is also extremely aerodynamic and accurate. It’s not quite as aerodynamic as the Hornady ELD-X, but it still has a relatively high BC and is also much more robustly constructed.

With those things in mind, I personally tend to lean more towards the Terminal Ascent over the ELD-X for hunting bigger game like elk with the 6.5 PRC. This ammo is another great option for hunters going after game out west like mule deer or pronghorn who need excellent 6.5 PRC ammo for a long range hunting situation.

If this ammunition shoots accurately in your rifle, this is another good option (with the 127gr Barnes LRX and 130gr Hornady CX, and 142gr Nosler AccuBond Long Range) for hunters who need good 6.5 PRC ammo for elk hunting. While the Barnes LRX is a slightly tougher bullet, the Terminal Ascent has a little bit higher BC though. Both are excellent options though and will work great on an upcoming elk hunt if they function reliably and shoot accurately in your rifle.

• Bullet Type: Terminal Ascent
• Bullet Weight: 130 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .532
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,000 feet per second (2,598 ft-lbs of muzzle energy)

GET TERMINAL ASCENT 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownell’s, Cabela’s, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Optics Planet, & Sportsman’s Warehouse

Hornady Outfitter

Hornady introduced their new Outfitter line of ammunition a few years ago and just added the 6.5 PRC cartridge to that lineup. Though it will also work quite well on a whitetail deer hunt in the back 40, the company markets this 6.5 PRC ammo specifically for use on guided hunts in really tough environments like a caribou or moose hunt in Alaska or a kudu hunt in South Africa.

This ammunition is loaded with an extremely tough 130 grain CX bullet that’s designed for controlled expansion, high weight retention, and deep penetration on large, heavy boned animals like elk and moose. This is high-quality ammunition that also uses nickel-plated case for reliable feeding and corrosion resistance under the most demanding conditions. The primers and case necks are also sealed.

With all those things in mind, it’s easy to see why Hornady advertises their Outfitter 6.5 PRC ammo for use on a big hunt that’s the culmination of years of saving and planning. After all, when the chips are down on the hunt of a lifetime, the absolute last thing you need is for your ammo to fail at the moment of truth.

Look really hard at the 127gr Barnes LRX, the 130gr Terminal Ascent, the 142gr Nosler AccuBond Long Range, or the 130gr CX for the best 6.5 PRC ammo for elk. All will offer similar terminal performance and similar ballistics. Choose the one you’re able to obtain that shoots best in your rifle.

The CX bullet used in Hornady Outfitter ammunition is lead free, which makes this ammo another good choice for use in states like California. Note: the CX bullet replaced the older GMX bullet from Hornady and is a tiny bit more aerodynamic, but retains the great terminal performance of the GMX.

• Bullet Type: CX
• Bullet Weight: 130 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .489
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,975 feet per second (2,555 ft-lbs of muzzle energy)

GET HORNADY OUTFITTER 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownell’s, Cabela’s, MidwayUSA, and Sportsman’s Warehouse

Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range

Nosler produces 6.5 PRC ammo as part of their Trophy Grade Long Range line loaded with their AccuBond Long Range Bullets. The 142 grain AccuBond Long Range bullets used in this loading have a bonded core and have both the highest BC and use the heaviest bullets available in a factory load for the cartridge.

That heavy for caliber, extremely aerodynamic bullet maximizes the strengths of the high velocity 6.5 PRC cartridge and delivers heavy hitting, flat shooting, and wind bucking performance out to extended range. This bullet also works great with the 1:8″ twist barrels that are common with 6.5 PRC rifles.

Indeed, this 6.5 PRC loading is capable of shooting a much tougher bullet with the same BC as the 143gr ELD-X used in Hornady’s Precision Hunter line. For this reason, the two loads will have virtually the same trajectory, but the tougher 142gr ABLR will work better on bigger game than the 143gr ELD-X.

With all that in mind, this is the best choice of a factory load for a hunter looking to maximize the all-around performance of the 6.5 PRC. That bullet is soft enough to deliver devastating terminal performance on game like deer and pronghorn, but is also tough enough to reach the vitals on bigger and tougher game like elk and moose from typical shooting angles.

By the same token, this bullet has a very high ballistic coefficient and, thanks in part to the combination of using Nosler brass with Nosler bullets, is also capable of outstanding accuracy.

All of those factors combine to facilitate use on big game at extended range.

All things considered, I think this is the best 6.5 PRC ammo for use on all manner of game and under the widest possible variety of hunting situations.

• Bullet Type: Nosler AccuBond Long Range
• Bullet Weight: 142 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .625
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,900 feet per second (2,651 ft-lbs of muzzle energy)

GET NOSLER TROPHY GRADE LONG RANGE 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Cabela’s, Natchez Shooter Supplies, and Sportsman’s Warehouse

Federal Fusion

It’s not new, fancy, or sexy, but Federal Fusion ammunition with a 140gr bullet is outstanding 6.5 PRC ammo for deer hunting. In addition to being very effective, this ammunition is also somewhat reasonably priced and has been one of the easier to find 6.5 PRC ammo options during the past few years.

Fusion bullets have a bonded lead core to help with weight retention. Combined with a skived tip to help initiate expansion, Federal Fusion 6.5 PRC ammo delivers a really good balance of controlled expansion, high weight retention, and deep penetration. While it’s not the latest and greatest stuff, Federal Fusion ammunition also has a really good reputation for accuracy.

This is ideal ammo for feral hog and deer hunting. You could also include game like pronghorn and even black bear in there as well.

It will definitely work on bigger game if you don’t have anything better, but I do not recommend using Federal Fusion 6.5 PRC caliber ammo for hunting game like elk or moose unless that’s all you have. Instead, I think other loads I recommend later in this article are a better choice like the Barnes LRX, Hornady CX, Nosler AccuBond, or Federal Terminal Ascent.

All things considered, this is outstanding on deer sized game and you can’t go wrong with Federal Fusion 6.5 PRC ammo for deer hunting.

• Bullet Type: Fusion Soft Point
• Bullet Weight: 140 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .439
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,925 feet per second (2,659 foot-pounds of energy)

GET FEDERAL FUSION 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Cabela’s and Natchez Shooter Supplies

Nosler Trophy Grade

Nosler manufacturers a loading that uses a 140 grain AccuBond bullet as part of their Trophy Grade line. This is perfect for those in need of some quality and extremely versatile 6.5 PRC ammo for deer, bear, or elk hunting.

Just like the name says, the AccuBond is a bonded bullet where the lead core is chemically bonded to the jacket, so you don’t have to worry about the bullet “grenading” or expanding too rapidly upon impact. It’s not quite as tough as the Nosler Partition, but the AccuBond is still a very robustly constructed bullet and these features make the AccuBond a much better choice for an elk hunt than typical cup and core bullets.

AccuBond bullets are also pretty darn aerodynamic (much more aerodynamic than Partition bullets of the same caliber and weight) and will reliably expand at lower impact velocities. All things considered, this ammunition is tough enough for close range shots on big game while at the same time providing very good extended range performance.

Some of the more specialized 6.5 PRC loads (which I’ll also cover in this article) offer better performance in specific circumstances. However, this 140 gr AccuBond load is an excellent all around choice for hunters who want a flexible, yet still extremely capable 6.5 PRC hunting load regardless of whether you’re hunting deer in Idaho or elk in Colorado. Place one of these bullets in the right place and you’ll be happy with the results.

• Bullet Type: Nosler AccuBond
• Bullet Weight: 140 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .509
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,900 feet per second (2,614 ft-lbs of muzzle energy)

GET TROPHY GRADE 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Cabela’s, Natchez Shooter Supplies, and Sportsman’s Warehouse.

Winchester Expedition Big Game Long Range

Winchester’s Expedition Big Game Long Range factory load is a collaboration between Winchester Ammunition and Nosler Inc. that’s loaded with a 142 grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range (ABLR) bullet. This ammunition offers great long range performance, but also uses a bullet that’s tough enough use with a short range shot on a big animal (like an elk).

The AccuBond Long Range is a great bullet that’s very aerodynamic and will still reliably expand at lower impact velocities. Nosler advertises that this bullet will still reliably open at velocities as low as 1,300fps (compared to 1,800fps for many other bullets). At the same time, this is a bonded bullet that’s designed to offer a mix of deep penetration, high weight retention, and controlled expansion.

With over 2,800 ft-lbs of muzzle energy shooting very tough, low-drag bullets, this load will also work great at almost any reasonable range from point blank out to several hundred yards on all manner of game ranging from thin-skinned animals like whitetail and mule deer or pronghorn all the way up to bigger and tougher game like black bear, elk, and even moose.

For those reasons, this Winchester ammo with a 142-grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range is also great 6.5 PRC ammo for elk, bear, pronghorn, and deer hunting.

• Bullet Type: Nosler AccuBond Long Range
• Bullet Weight: 142 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient: .625
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,020 feet per second (2,875 ft-lbs of muzzle energy)

GET WINCHESTER EXPEDITION BIG GAME 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownells, Cabela’s, and Natchez Shooters Supplies

Winchester Copper Impact

Winchester originally developed their Copper Impact line of ammunition in parallel with their Deer Season XP line to provide some lead free ammo options for deer hunters. Those two ammo lines were well received by the hunting community. This eventually led to the expansion of the line to include lead free 6.5 PRC ammo as well.

Just like the other loadings in that line, Winchester Copper Impact 6.5 PRC ammunition uses a solid copper bullet design with a large diameter polymer tip that’s specifically designed to produce a gigantic wound channel along with massive impact trauma.

Additionally, this bullet will retain weight and penetrate extremely well since it is a monolithic design.

The end result is a bullet that expands rapidly, transfers a lot of energy to the animal for devastating terminal performance, and will still penetrate through thick hide, heavy muscles, and solid bone to reach the vitals of very large game from most reasonable shot angles.

The 6.5 PRC loading also has decent G1 BC of .428, which is pretty good for a lead free bullet. Using moderate powder charges, it does not quite have ballistics on par with some of the other 6.5 PRC ammo options on this list, but it still performs extremely well and offers excellent performance at short range as well as for longer range shooting.

While this loading will indeed work great on deer-sized game, it’s not limited to just deer either and should work great for bigger and tougher game like feral hogs, black bear, and even potentially elk. For this reason, Winchester re-branded this ammo to drop the “Deer Season” moniker and just go with “Copper Impact” instead.

Finally, this ammo is a great choice for use in states like California and is another California legal 6.5 PRC factory ammo option.

• Bullet Type: Winchester Copper Extreme Point
• Bullet Weight: 125 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .428
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,875 feet per second

GET COPPER IMPACT 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownells

Nosler Ballistic Tip

Nosler also offers a 6.5 PRC loading using a 140 grain Ballistic Tip bullet. This bullet is also an outstanding choice for hunting thin-skinned game like deer and pronghorn.

Ballistic Tip bullets are designed to deliver devastating terminal effects to game upon impact. Nothing is guaranteed, but these bullets often deliver instant, knock down results on deer sized game.

All things considered, Nosler Ballistic Tip 6.5 PRC ammo is an ideal choice for use on deer sized game like feral hogs, pronghorn, mule deer, and whitetail deer at close range as well as extended range. They also tend to shoot very accurately in most 6.5 PRC rifles.

As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Those bullets expand rapidly and deliver incredible shock upon impact, but they don’t penetrate very well. This isn’t usually an issue with deer-sized game, but I do NOT recommend using Nosler Ballistic Tip ammo for bigger game like elk or moose.

Instead, stick to game like whitetail deer, mule deer, and pronghorn with the 140 grain Ballistic Tip. You’ll probably be very happy with the results if you do that.

• Bullet Type: Nosler Ballistic Tip
• Bullet Weight: 140 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .509
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,900 feet per second (2,614 foot-pounds of energy)

GET BALLISTIC TIP 6.5 PRC AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Cabela’s and Sportsman’s Warehouse

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There are a ton of different stabilizers types, styles, sizes, and mods out there, so it can be difficult navigating the world of stabilizers. We’ll go over everything you need to know and give you all the juicy details.

Make sure to check out our in-depth guide on how to build a keyboard.

What is a Stabilizer?

Stabilizers are a essential keyboard component placed under the larger keys such as space bar, backspace, and shift, to keep the keys from shaking, rattling, and tilting while typing. The stabilizers keep the keys balanced so you can have a stable typing and gaming experience.

The Different Stabilizers Types

There are a few different stabilizer types out there, Cherry style, Costar, and Optical. They are each significantly different, so we’ll explain what makes them unique.

Cherry Style Stabilizers

Cherry style stabilizers are the most common stabilizers out there. They are the preferred stabilizer type as they are easy to mod and have a lot of different options when it comes to mounting styles, colors, and material types.

Cherry stabilizers have the shape of a Cherry MX switch stem, hence the name Cherry style stabilizers. They make adding and removing keycaps a breeze.

In this guide, we’ll be focusing primarily on the Cherry stabilizer type when explaining all of the different options available. It’s possible to get Cherry style stabilizers in screw-in, snap-in, or plate-mounted variations.

We highly recommend getting a keyboard with Cherry stabilizers as they are the most versatile stabilizers out there.

Costar Stabilizers

Costar stabilizers are a less common stabilizer type, as they are primarily only found on older keyboards, although some newer keyboards may have them.

Costar stabilizers are quite difficult to use and have to be hooked into the keycap to fit. Getting the stabilizer bar to insert properly into the keycap can be a frustrating and lengthy process.

If you like to remove your keycaps and clean your keyboard regularly, these stabilizers can be quite the headache.

They are also difficult to mod and makes replacing the keycaps on your keyboard quite difficult.

Costar stabilizers are great if you want to install them and forget about em. No modding required, pretty good performance, and are affordable to replace. However, not the best if you enjoy tinkering with your keyboard and swapping out your keycaps regularly.

We talk about installing a spacebar with Costar stabilizers here.

Optical Stabilizers

Optical stabilizers are typically only found on keyboards with optical switches, and have a funky design (such as the Razer Huntsman Mini). They have small clips that insert into the keycap that you snap into the stabilizer bar under the plate of the keyboard.

There isn’t a good way to modify these stabilizers to improve them, although you could apply a small amount of lubricant to reduce the sound and rattle noises.

From our experience, these stabilizers are quite rattily, but if you use optical switches, you’re pretty much stuck with them. Not much else to say about these stabilizers.

Stabilizer Size Guide

There are three stabilizer sizes you can purchase: 7u, 6.25u, and 2u.

The stabilizers follow the same measuring system as keycaps, where 1u = the width of one keycap.

The 6.25u size is what you’ll need for a standard spacebar, unless you have a non-standard keyboard layout, in which case you’ll need the 7u size. For the most part you can ignore the 7u size, unless you have a custom keyboard.

All of the other larger keys on your keyboard (that aren’t the spacebar) will require a 2u stabilizer.

If you have a full-sized keyboard, you’ll need:

• 6.25u stabilizer x1
• 2u stabilizer x7

If you have a tenkeyless keyboard, you’ll need:

• 6.25u stabilizer x1
• 2u stabilizer x4

For the smaller layouts, the stabilizers required can vary based on the layout of the keyboard, so there is no exact amount.

A Closer Look at Cherry Style Stabilizers

Now that we’ve gone over the three main stabilizer types, let’s take a closer look at the Cherry style stabilizers as they are the most common and the go-to stabilizer if you’re building a keyboard.

Cherry stabilizers are made up of three main components, the stabilizer bar, insert, and housing. These three components work together to keep the larger keys stable and reduce rattle.

Each key will have one stabilizer bar, two inserts, and two housings. The stabilizer bar keeps both sides of the key from tilting when typing. The stabilizer bars come in several different sizes based on which key it is for, but we’ll get into that later.

Different Mounting Styles for Cherry Stabilizers

There are three different mounting styles for Cherry style stabilizers, they can attach differently and are compatible on certain keyboards. Plate-mounted stabilizers attach to the metal plate, while the other two attaches to the PCB (printed circuit board).

Shown below is a side view of a keyboard with a metal plate and PCB. Read more about PCB vs plate-mount.

Plate-Mounted Stabilizers

Plate-mounted stabilizers are the most common mounting style and are typically found on almost all pre-built mechanical keyboards. These stabilizers attach to the metal plate inside the keyboard instead of directly to the printed circuit board (PCB).

Plate-mounted stabilizers are considered the least effective mounting style as they tend to rattle more and vibrate with the aluminum plate when typing. It’s possible to improve these stabilizers by modding them which we’ll get into later.

The stabilizers attach by clipping/snapping into the metal plate. This style of connection is not the most secure and adds to the overall amount of shaking and rattling.

You can remove these stabilizers by first removing the switch, then pressing on a small plastic tab on the stabilizer, while simultaneously lifting up on the stabilizer.

Screw-In Stabilizers

Screw-in stabilizers mount directly into the PCB and are attached with screws. This mounting style is considered the best because the stabilizers are much more secure and will vibrate less.

In addition, the screw-in stabilizers remain in place when taking off the key caps, unlike the snap-in style which tend to dislodge.

The PCB also tends to vibrate less than the metal plate, which makes it a better mounting location for the stabilizer.

Screw-in stabilizers are typically only found on custom-made keyboards and not on pre-built keyboards, which makes them less common, but highly sought after.

We highly recommend the screw-in stabilizer type if you plan on building a keyboard.

Snap-In Stabilizers

Snap-in stabilizers are another PCB mounted stabilizer type. They are better than plate-mounted, but not quite as effective as screw-in stabilizers.

Since snap-in stabilizers mount to the PCB, they tend to vibrate less than plate-mounted, which makes them a better option. The only downside is they are much less common than plate-mounted, and they are typically only found on custom keyboards.

Screw-in stabilizers are usually a better option than snap-in as they vibrate less and are more secure. The only situation where we would recommend this stabilizer type is if you can’t find a keyboard with screw-in stabilizers.

As mentioned before, snap-in stabilizers can pop out the PCB when trying to remove the keycaps, where screw-in stabilizers do not have this problem.

Different Brands that Make Cherry Style Stabilizers

There are a few main companies that manufacture Cherry stabilizers and they typically come in a variety of different colors and materials.

Durock Stabilizers

Durock stabilizers are interesting because the stabilizer housing insert come in a nice translucent purple with a gold-plated stabilizer bar, if you’re feeling a little fancy. Perfect for building a keyboard with each component adding to the overall aesthetic.

These stabilizers are actually quite affordable considering how unique they look, which makes them an excellent option. We find them to be smoother than the standard GMK stabilizers.

Durock stabilizers only come in the screw-in style, so you can really only use them on a custom keyboard. All of the three sizes are available for purchase (2u, 6.25u, and 7u).

Durock stabilizers come pre-clipped, which mean the little feet on the bottom of the stabilizer housing are removed to make them more stable and improve the typing experience. Many people will do this manually to GMK stabilizers if they mod them.

We also recommend ordering these off of Prevail Key Co.

GMK

GMK is mainly known for their high-end keycaps, but they also produce genuine Cherry style stabilizers. This means they actually hold the tooling to make the “proper” Cherry stabilizers. If you have a keyboard with Cherry stabilizers, most likely they were produced by GMK.

GMK makes very plain and normal looking stabilizers, with a black stabilizer housing and insert, along with a grey metal stabilizer bar. You can get GMK stabilizers in all three mounting styles: plate-mounted, screw-in, and snap-in.

We typically order GMK stabilizers off of NovelKeys as they have them stock-in more often than other stores.

ZealPC

The most expensive stabilizers on the list ($30). Coming with a gold-plated stabilizer bar and clear housing, the ZealPC stabilizers have a design that can work with almost any colored keyboard (unlike the purple Durock stabilizers).

The stabilizers are pre-clipped which makes them rest on the PCB in a more stable fashion and improve the typing experience.

The ZealPC stabilizers are offered only in the screw-mount style, with a custom nut design to prevent stripping the threads.

It’s hard to recommend these stabilizers due to the super high price, when the Durock stabilizers are available with many of the same features at a fraction of the cost.

You can find these stabilizers on the ZealPC website.

Everglide

Everglide stabilizers come with a gold-plated stabilizer bar and clear housing, very similar to the ZealPC stabilizers. They are also pre-clipped, come in the screw-in style, and are a decent price.

These stabilizers come in all three sizes, or you can buy them as a package to save money depending on what size keyboard you have.

You can find them on the kprepublic website.

How to Improve Cherry Stabilizers

If you are willing to put a little extra work in, your Cherry stabilizers can benefit from some custom modifications, the most common being band aid, clip, and lube.

The band aid modification includes applying band-aids where the stabilizer insert hits the PCB to dampen the sound and create a much nicer acoustic.

Clipping the stabilizer feet makes the key feel more stable and less rickety. Many stabilizers come with the feet already clipped.

Lubricating the stabilizers reduces the friction when typing and makes them feel smoother and more consistent.

After these modifications, the stabilizers will feel much better and the difference will be night and day. I recommend everyone with the time and patience to try this mod out.

We have a couple guides on our site to walk you through these mods. Depending on if you have soldering equipment or not, there are few different methods:

• How to Band-Aid Mod, Clip, and Lube Stabilizers
• How to Lube Stabilizers without Desoldering

Click test before and after modification

Conclusion

There is a lot of tribal knowledge in the mechanical keyboard community about stabilizers that everyone assumes you know already, so we hope this post laid out the information for you in a clear and easy-to-read format.

There is a lot of small complexities to sort through when picking out a stabilizer for you next mechanical keyboard. There are many stabilizer sizes, types, manufacturers, and mounting styles, not to mention all of the modifications.

For your first mechanical keyboard build, we highly recommend picking out a keyboard that supports screw-in Cherry stabilizers and going with the Durock or Everglide variations depending on which colorway/price works best for you. These two stabilizers offer the best bang-for-your-buck and offer a smooth, stable typing experience.

If you have a pre-built mechanical keyboard, you’ll usually be stuck with plate-mounted stabilizers (even if it’s hot-swappable). Screw-in and snap-in stabilizers are typically reserved for custom mechanical keyboards.

We also recommend taking the time to mod your stabilizers to improve them even more. A little bit of lubricant and band-aids goes a long way.

Happy Typing!

The answer is . . .

What boat cover material you use depends on what type of boat cover you are building, where you are living, and how you plan to use that cover. Remember that your boat cover material is the only thing between your boat and the weather!

Below you will find . . .

• The fabrics we offer in our store.
• A list of the most common boat cover fabrics and their attributes to help you decide what is important to you.
• Some of our favorite fabrics listed at the bottom of this page.

Add vents to your boat cover to help the boat stay dryer inside!

The faster that air can be released from your boat cover, the dryer the boat cover fabric will stay on the inside. The dryer the boat stays, the less likelihood of mildew growth beneath the cover.

Our Fabrics

Check out more examples of Our work!Click Here!

• All boat cover materials are considered mildew and UV resistant.

• Some materials listed below are available as boat covers sold in stores and online. There are many more that are not listed. We mention these because they are the more popular boat cover materials available.

• Here at our shop, we are firm believers in using materials with a minimum of a 5 year warranty.

• We think saving a few bucks on boat cover fabric isn’t a deal at all if the boat cover ultimately fails early. However, we do understand budget plays a part in your decision.

Most Common Boat Cover Fabrics and their Attributes

Acrylic boat fabrics

This group of boat cover fabrics is considered a top line choice for boat covers.

The are top line because of their ability to last for years and still look good!

• Sunbrella – 10 year limited warranty – The most popular acrylic in America.
• Tempotest – 10 year limited warranty – This acrylic is from Italy and uses Teflon Extreme finishing giving double protection from water and oil stains. Also treated with Hi-Clean giving it an impenetrable barrier.
• Recacril– 10 year limited warranty – Gaining popularity as a fine acrylic boat fabric.

• Outdura – 5 year limited warranty – Also gaining popularity as a fine acrylic.

• Dickson– 10 year limited warranty – A fine acrylic, and very popular in Europe.

• Sundowner – 10 year limited warranty- Made in Spain, not readily available in the US yet.

Best Uses: Storage covers, tops

Strengths: Breathable, beautiful, UV resistant, solution dyed, colorfast, clean-ability and mildew resistant. Available in a huge variety of colors.

Weaknesses: Higher price, abrasion resistance is a little weak and lighter colors soil easily. Acrylic boat fabrics need to be carefully reinforced. Not waterproof and will eventually need to be waterproofed again.

Specialty Sunbrella Fabric Product

• Sunbrella Seamark – An acrylic that is bonded to vinyl. Has a 5 year limited warranty and is 100% waterproof.

Seamark fabric starts its life as Sunbrella, is purchased by the Haartz Company, and is coated with a vinyl backing.

Seamark is popular with Sea Ray for their bimini and camper tops.

Seamark is an expensive fabric, but desirable for two main reasons. It is 100% waterproof and a perfect match for Sunbrella.

This means you can use it as a waterproof fabric for your bimini and camper tops, and switch back to matching Sunbrella for the enclosures and canvas on the rest of your boat.

Polyester Boat Fabrics

There are some substantial differences among polyester boat cover material. So for that reason we group the polyesters into three groups . . .

Group 1 – Coated polyesters

This first group has appearance similarities.

Polyester boat cover material is often used for store bought and online boat covers.

Retail manufacturers may have their own brands of coated polyester fabrics and they are generally not available in the aftermarket.

So when buying an online boat cover, look at the warranty to see how they stand behind their fabrics. This will be very important in judging the quality of the boat fabric.

• Aqualon – 5 year limited warranty
• Aqualon Edge – 7 year limited warranty – New in 2016, has superior heat reflection and heat reduction beneath the cover. It’s Perfecta Marine technology makes it 30% cooler than other fabrics. We are very excited about this fabric and the heat reduction characteristics.
• Aqualon Edge SOFT – 7 year limited warranty – This new fabric is really making waves with its Perfecta Marine technology that makes it 30% cooler than other fabrics AND it has a soft, non-woven, fuzzy backing to boot! This backing makes it a great light-weight fabric to use against things such as boat and car covers and other things you want to protect.
• Harbor Time– 5 year limited warranty
• Harbor Time Edge – 7 year limited warranty – This fabric is similar to Aqualon Edge, but has a tougher polyester fabric on top. It’s Perfecta Marine technology makes it 30% cooler than other fabrics and it works best for those tougher jobs and industrial applications.
• Top Gun – 5 year limited warranty

Best Uses – Storage Covers, Tops and Shade fly’s

Strengths: Strong, abrasion resistant, good UV resistance, available with soft liners for delicate surfaces in a mid price range. Easy to work with, looks good, easy to clean, mildew resistant, tough, highly water resistant.

Weaknesses: Possible de-lamination, possible color transfer, stiff in cold climate, low breath ability in coated products , some fading over time. Some crazing over time. (Crazing shows up as thin white lines on the fabric caused by folding or creasing the fabric.)

Group 2 – Vinyl Coated Polyesters and PVCBest Uses – Storage Covers, Tops, Trim for enclosures

This group provides some popular boat cover material choices for the high end group of boaters.

• Herculite Riviera – 5 year limited warranty
• Stamoid – 5 year limited warranty. Tough, beautiful, and more expensive.

Strengths: Very easy to clean, cool to the touch in very hot weather, tough. Very long lasting, waterproof, excellent clean-ability, high UV resistance, and dimensional stability. Done right it makes a beautiful boat cover.

Weaknesses: Not Breathable, stiff in cold weather, and higher cost.

A little more difficult to fabricate with due to the lack of stretch (can show more wrinkles depending on the skill of the fabricator).

Group – 3 Solution dyed Polyesters

This boat cover material belongs to a new generation of polyesters.

Top Notch – Heavier than Sunbrella, but looks nearly the same. Extremely tough and abrasion resistant. Makes a great travel cover. Not for home sewing machines. 8 year warranty.

Surlast – 3 year limited warranty – Popular 3 year polyester for manufactured boat covers.

Strengths : All group 3 fabrics are strong, UV stable, dimensionally stable, attractive, breathable, highly water resistant, and make beautiful long lasting covers.

Weaknesses: Even with the improvements in longevity, they still don’t outlast the acrylics.

Nylon as a boat cover Material?

Nylon doesn’t hold up well in the sun, so the answer is no, unless you get it for free and make it for free. Don’t waste your money!

Do we have a favorite Boat Cover Fabric?

Yes we do….and of course this is just our opinion!

We like any type of Acrylic such as: Tempotest and Sunbrella. Nothing beat an acrylic for longevity. Blacks, blues and greens outlast other colors in the acrylics.

We also like:

• Aqualon Edge- 7 year polyester, because it stays 30% cooler than all the rest, even in dark colors.
• Harbor Time Edge 7 year polyester- when you need a heavy weight polyester that stays 30% cooler.

These are also awesome fabrics:

• Riviera – 5 year
• Stamoid – 5 year

These are exceptionally long lasting boat cover materials and so easy to clean. If you use these fabrics, you should have a fabricator whose skill level is fairly high; this type of fabric requires a little more expertise to obtain that high end look we all love.

Be Sure to Check Out All of Our EZ-Xtend Boat Zipper Products!!

EZ-Xtend Boat ZippersEZ-Xtend Boat TrackEZ-Xtend Drip Shields

Please come visit me at Cover Girl Marine Canvas & Upholstery to see some of our awesome work!

Answer this honestly…How many of you have had a conversation with a friend where one of these talking points came up?

• Dude, My Black Flash camera is visible!
• I can see my No Glow camera flash! I know it’s spooking deer!
• I don’t know what’s wrong, I was just looking through some trail camera photos and it looks like I can see the flash from my Black out camera! I have two of them out there?

Over the years, we’ve seen this topic come up on social media over and over. Some folks immediately understand what is going on, others are baffled.

If you can see the flash from a Black Flash camera what the heck is going on? All of this boils down to two scenarios…. You don’t really have a no glow camera OR there are multiple cameras in one area and one camera is capturing another camera’s flash at night.

940NM Wavelengths To Humans and Whitetails

No Glow, Black Flash, Invisible Flash, Black Out are all trail camera terms referring to the same exact thing… Any trail camera flash unit utilizing a 940nm LED, which in the Electromagnetic Spectrum is beyond the UV Spectrum and invisible to the human eye. But what about whitetails?

When you think about how ungulates see, in what colors, and how those colors react to UV it becomes pretty damn interesting. Ungulates have dichromatic vision, they see yellow and blue colors with everything else being black/white and gray. Blue colors fall between 430-520nm wavelengths and yellow falls between 565-580nm wavelengths. So theoretically, if your trail camera is not putting out light between those spectrums, deer are not seeing it OR at least not in the same color as we see it. Now, lets pull it back to trail cameras.

Types of Flash

You have 3 categories of flash types in trail cameras, WHITE,RED, and BLACK.

White Flash trail cameras give you an actual flash. Hobbyist folks seem to really gravitate towards these types of cameras because they put out color night images. This type of light falls into the lower range of the UV Spectrum at approx 300nm.

Red Flash also called IR trail cameras include any bulb that puts out light at wavelengths between approx 625nm up to 750nm. At the bottom end light is visible at the upper end it is less noticeable.

Black Flash, aka invisible flash, no glow, black out, or whatever else you want to call it, also falls into the IR spectrum but at the upper end with a wavelength of 940nm. General science tells us that mammals cannot see light at this wavelength. Really, only amphibians and reptiles can see this type of light.

IR and Black Flash cameras have added HW to capture light at these wavelengths. This is the purpose of the cameras IR filter OR the camera could have a dedicated night sensor and lens making it a dual lens camera.

Why Can You See It?

Scenario 1: If you can see the flash with your naked eye, you certainly don’t have a 940nm flash unit. Don’t get this confused with a faint red glow before the actual flash. At times, mainly when the LEDs first get power they will likely emit some light below the 940nm range. This happens well before the flash actually goes off.

Scenario 2: You have two cameras setup in some what close proximity to one another. One camera is picking up the other’s flash. The first time it happens it’s kinda of weird but when you step back and think how trail cameras work with specific flash units and IR filters it makes a whole lot of sense.

If you find yourself in either scenario don’t panic, the wool hasn’t been pulled over your eyes. What you are seeing is completely normal in the trail camera world, it just doesn’t happen all that often because there’s not many folks running cameras on top of one another. With proper setups and going through our “spook proof equation” it’s unlikely you are actually spooking whitetails with your trail cameras.

Brad Leone, Full name, Brad Samuel Leone is a New Jersey-born Celebrity Chef and social media personality. The Institute of Culinary Education Graduate is a regular contributor to a Bon Appetite.

It is a video platform that offers up-and-coming chefs the chance to display their skills. Just recently, Brad was featured on the channel making pickled onions at home. It was the show’s 69th episode.

For his exploits in cooking, he has been nominated for a Shorty Award for Best in Food. Let’s look at some interesting facts about his wife Peggy and their kids.

Who is Brad Leone?

Brad Leone is a reality television host and YouTuber. His claim to fame came as a result of the cooking videos he made for the Bon Appetite Print Publication.

Once its popularity began to sore, the magazine decided to extend its influence to YouTube. Subsequently, the channel was launched back on the 30th of April 2008. 15 years on, and it has 6.33 million subscribers.

Brad joined the publication as soon as he graduated from college. He started as an intern, gradually rising to the position of sous chef.

At the time, he was required to do a lot of the grunt work; this ranged from making supplying runs, to cleaning the kitchen and washing all the dishes.

Chef Brad once jokingly referred to himself as a glorified dishwasher. Regardless, he did everything he was asked with gusto and was eventually named kitchen manager.

He finally got his big break in 2016, with the debut of a show titled ‘It’s alive.’ The show follows Brad as he tries out various new recipes and experiments with fermented foods.

Its first episode aired back on October 21st. Since then, it has a total of two seasons and four episodes. The Bon Appetite Kitchen Manager appeared on other TV shows like Gourmet Makes and Sean in the Wild.

Brad Leone’s Wife, Peggy Marie Merck.

Brad is married to a woman named Peggy Marie Merck. She is an event planner who hails from Sturgis, South Dakota. Peggy was born on the 19th of May 1983.

Brad and Peggy have a loving relationship. It is evident when you take a look at the latter’s Instagram handle. It is evident that her family is her main priority.

And looking at the Bon Appetite Kitchen Manager’s social media handles, we see that he feels the same. Just last year, Peggy accompanied her husband to the Palais des Festival, which was held in Cannes.

Chef Brad Leone and wife Peggy and their kids have also gone on multiple family vacations together. These include trips to places like Rockport, Massachusetts.

Their Kids.

Brad and his wife Peggy have two children together. Their son Griff was born on the 4th of May 2016. He just celebrated his birthday three months ago! Judging by the look of Peggy’s recent post, Griff had a good idea.

His younger brother Kyle was born on the 3rd of May, 2018. The boys’ birthdays are only a day apart. Kyle just turned two.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_v6gEGgUZM/

Age and Birthday.

Brad Leone was born on May 16th, 1985, in New Jersey. As of 2024, he is 38 years old. Patience and loyalty are two of the best things about people who are born under the Taurus star sign.

His commitment and dedication to his work make much more sense now! After all, he spent months working as what he described as a ‘glorified dishwasher.’ Brad did not mind humbling himself to gain experience and learn.

Height.

The ‘it’s alive’ host is a tall drink of water! He stands in at an impressive 1.78 meters tall; this is the equivalent of 5 ft 10 inches tall.

Brad Leone’s wiki-bio.

Full name Brad Samuel Leone Age 38 years old Date of Birth 16th May 1985 Place of Birth New Jersey, USA Profession Celebrity host, Bon Appetite Kitchen Manager, Television host, YouTuber Net worth $1 million Partner Peggy Marie Merck Kids 2 Nationality American Ethnicity Caucasian Zodiac Sign Taurus Parents Michele C. Leone (father)

Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — Filmmaker Joseph LeBaron had never heard the stories about whales living in the Great Salt Lake. In fact, the Utah native had rarely even spent much time at the lake.

That changed in 2015 when NPR radio host Doug Fabrizio reached out to see if LeBaron’s team would be interested in filming an interview with Dr. Lynne McNeill, a folklore specialist at Utah State University. The topic? An infamous article published in 1888 about whales being released into the Great Salt Lake.

Needless to say, LeBaron was intrigued.

“The article was about a scientist named James Wickham who came from England to try to start a whale oil fishery in the Great Salt Lake,” recalled LeBaron. “He apparently spent a couple of years off the coast of Australia to capture a breeding pair of whales, and then transported them to Utah by train, in giant tanks of water.”

LeBaron’s team decided that the project was going to require more effort than originally planned. The story was simply too big to capture in a three-minute edit. With their eyes now set on a short film, the filmmakers began scouting the Great Salt Lake.

“We quickly fell in love with the lake,” said LeBaron. “Even though the Great Salt Lake is so important to the state for many, many reasons, it had never felt like a destination place for me. Now I realize that it’s just so incredibly beautiful and wild and weird.”

The team soon realized it would be impossible to film on the lake, as declining levels made it too shallow. Each year, they’d go out to check the depth to see if “this was finally the year to film.” But the lake just got more and more shallow.

“It was really hard for us to see this beloved character disappearing before our eyes,” LeBaron said. “Ultimately, we got scrappy and were able to get the shots we needed. And through our newfound love of the lake, we grew into activists and saw an opportunity for this film to act as a call to conservation.”

LeBaron sought out an impact partner — FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake was the ideal match, as part of their mission is to increase public awareness and appreciation of the lake through education, research and the arts. Their partnership will culminate in a film premier for the completed short film, “Whales of the High Desert,” on Aug. 25. The event will feature live music and multiple food trucks at Industry SLC, 650 S. 500 West, in Salt Lake City.

Since Fabrizio was the impetus for the whole project when he first contacted LeBaron about the story nearly a decade ago, it’s only fitting that he’ll be emceeing a panel discussion at the premier about the film and conservation efforts for the Great Salt Lake. Panel members include Bonnie K. Baxter, director of the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College; Lynne S. McNeill, professor of folklore at Utah State University; and, Holly Simonsen, programs director at FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake.

All proceeds from the event will go to FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake to support their ongoing conservation efforts. You can get details and reserve tickets by clicking here.

And if you’re wondering whether the mysterious story about whales in the Great Salt Lake is true — it’s worth noting that even the filmmakers and experts involved with the project have a hard time answering that question.

There’s no concrete evidence available to support the claim, which suggests it’s unlikely to have occurred. But the thrilling possibility that whales called the Great Salt Lake home, even briefly, has helped keep the legend alive all these years.

Photos

Most recent Great Salt Lake stories

You might think that with today’s fishing reels, backlash would be a thing of the past, but that’s just not the case. Unless you are flipping or pitching your bait with your casting reel, you may as well come to the understanding that it is going to backlash on you once in a while, especially if you’re new to using one. Backlash is basically the result of the spool on your casting reel turning faster than line can leave it. The lure flies through the air, but not at the same rate as the line leaves the spool. A baitcaster is meant to give the user more ability to send long-distance casts into heavy cover with a greater amount of control, retrieve ratio, and hook setting power. Unfortunately, it can be a little tricky to avoid backlashes, and even trickier to master.

It’s one of those issues that can cause so many to abandon a baitcasting reel for a more-simple spinning reel, limiting the versatility at their disposal. It’s time to demystify the venerable baitcaster so that you can begin to use one with impunity and avoid the backlashes that take up time and energy when all you want to do is fish. Here are a couple of obvious reasons why this happens and one or two that are less likely, so you can be on the lookout before they occur.

Improper Spool Tension and Brake System Adjustment

The spool tension and brake system on most baitcasting reels have become so sophisticated that the fine tune adjustments can really make a difference. Anglers typically start by cranking down the spool tension knob to the point that when you engage the reel (push down the thumb bar as if you were about to cast), the spool won’t move.

As you adjust it back so that the spool will allow the weight of the lure to slowly pull line off of the reel as you hold the rod upright, you’re loosening the tension but increasing the chance of a backlash. If you go to the other side of the reel and adjust the brake, you’ll also be changing backlash likelihood. Try to make a series of practice casts, short and easy at first, then make small adjustments that will get your reel casting the way that you want. Without working your way through these adjustments, you might have things set so improperly that a backlash is inevitable.

Thumb Control

Once anglers realize they need to slow and control the spool with their thumb that is left on the reel once you have made your cast. If you let your lure or bait hit the water without any frictional force from your thumb, you are likely getting closer to a backlash. Even veteran fishermen sometimes forget how much thumb control matters when using a baitcasting reel, and it’s a skill that needs refreshing when you start fishing each new season.

Line Size

Many of us use a baitcaster so we can increase the line size and change up the line material to fish in some extreme conditions. Placing a jig in the slop where it’s likely to get crushed by a big largemouth is one thing, but the resulting mess of weeds and sticks can be murder on light line. The same goes for fishing around stumps and other tangles that can really fray fishing line. The best part is that casting reels work well with heavier lines and aren’t as prone to backlash when you use them. Granted, you’ll be using heavier baits along with it. Lighter lines can be used on baitcasting reels, but with caution; lighter lines can come screaming off of a baitcaster, especially on long casts which increase your odds of a backlash.

Wind

Anytime that we cast into the wind while fishing we take a chance of getting a backlash (sometimes a bad one) on a casting reel. This is not to say that you mustn’t cast into the wind ever with a baitcaster, just that you are going to have to consider the consequences. This is especially true when using spinnerbaits and buzzbaits that catch the wind due to their wide blades and design profiles. This is where your reaction time and thumb control really comes into to play. You may have to recognize that a particular cast is going to go bad, and you will need to abort it quickly by stopping the spool.

Rod Length

This one is a bit uncommon, but it is said that the length of the casting rod that you’re using can have an effect on its ability to use the casting reel effectively. The most common rods are in the six foot to seven-foot range. Sure, there are casting rods that are plenty longer and still good for long casting, but some are made more for seasoned baitcasting fishermen and some are more for the surf fishing crowd. Shorter rods are easier to handle for the novice and can have the affect of greater control when starting out.

Trial and Error

If you’re just learning to use a baitcaster, then you will want to keep an eye out for these things. Truth be told, it will take some time and experience, and you’ll certainly work your way through plenty of bird’s nests cause by backlash. It’s not unlike a good quarterback who sometimes throws an interception; even seasoned anglers get a backlash now and again. If you’re using a heavy lure and light line, then it’s going to scream off of the reel when you launch that beautiful cast. Even if you have everything set to the best of your ability, you’re going to have to recognize when things are going south and try to nip it in the bud before the worst happens.

There are many good reasons to use a baitcasting system when fishing, so it’s just a matter of practicing and working hard to avoid the dreadful backlash. The better you get, the less it will happen, and the more time you’ll have to spend actually fishing instead of untangling knots.

Please check out my book “The Hunter’s Way” from HarperCollins. Be sure to follow my webpage, or on Facebook and YouTube.

READ MORE: WHY FLY FISHING, CONVENTIONAL FISHING BOTH HAVE SUCH A DEVOTED FOLLOWING

A version of this story was originally published in September 2020.

In the springtime, as many as 18,000 hunters in Maine take part in a thrilling turkey hunt that involves trying to call in lovesick male turkeys during the mating season.

But that’s not the only opportunity for turkey hunting. Maine has a fall turkey hunting season, too — it opened on Sept. 18 and runs until Nov. 7 — though it has never caught on at the same level.

It might be the best Maine hunting season you’ve never heard of.

While spring turkey season is a harbinger of warmer days and welcomes many hunters back after a winter without hunting, the fall season overlaps with the popular upland bird season, archery deer season, part of bear season, moose season and the opening of the firearms season for deer. It doesn’t get the same attention.

The methods used during the fall season are also different, and hunters aren’t rewarded with the heart-stopping gobble of an approaching male turkey like they are when the mating season is in full swing in the springtime.

Kelsey Sullivan, game bird biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, doesn’t actively pursue turkeys in the fall, said those who do have told him that finding a flock of turkeys is the first step.

“Some of the guys use dogs, where they find flocks and break them up, basically,” Sullivan said. “You come into an area where you know there are birds, you break the flock up, and then you set up where they dispersed from, and then make calls to draw them back. They want to come back together again.”

Sullivan said that the department hoped an increase in fall participation would help biologists reach management goals by stabilizing the turkey population in certain parts of the state. Thus far, that hasn’t been the case though the number of hunters is on the rise.

Sullivan thinks there may be as many as 5,000 fall turkey hunters now, compared with 3,500 a few years ago.

The season also has been extended: a turkey permit now covers spring and fall seasons, and the bag limits in much of Maine have increased.

But many of those fall turkey hunters are simply “opportunistic” hunters who are actually in the woods looking for other game, like ruffed grouse and woodcock, Sullivan said.

“They’re not all diehard turkey hunters, but they might take a bird because an opportunity presents itself,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said that data gathered in the spring of 2019 indicates that Maine’s turkey population was about 70,000, before the nesting season. By September, when that year’s newly hatched birds were on the landscape, the population had likely swelled to 140,000, he said, before naturally trending down as birds died or were killed during the fall and winter.

“The harvest is still fairly low, and it’s still not a major tool in keeping those numbers down,” Sullivan said.

If you do go turkey hunting this year, you will need to get your turkey tagged. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, in-person tagging for turkeys was discontinued for the spring season. Tagging stations are now open again, and hunters must register the turkeys they shoot.

While the concept of fall turkey hunting is pretty simple, the framework explaining where you can hunt and how many birds you’re allowed to take gets complicated, and deserves explanation.

First, there is no fall turkey season at all in parts of the state, including extreme northern Maine, where there aren’t as many birds as in other spots. The Wildlife Management Districts where no fall turkey hunting is allowed: 1 through 5, and 9.

In the spots where turkeys are most plentiful — WMDs 15-17 and 20-25 — there is a five-bird season bag limit. In WMD 26, there is a three-bird season limit. In WMD 28, the limit is two birds, while hunters in WMDs 6-8, 10-14, 18, 19, 27 and 29, the limit is one bird per season.

Hunters are only allowed to take two turkeys per day during the season. The bird may be a male or a female.

The following ammunition cartridge ballistics information and chart can be used to approximately compare .30 M1 Carbine vs .308 Winchester ammo rounds. Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to a particular manufacturer, bullet weight, or jacketing type. As such, the following is for comparative information purposes only and should not be used to make precise predictions of the trajectory, performance, or true ballistics of any particular .30 M1 Carbine or .308 Winchester rounds for hunting, target shooting, plinking, or any other usage. The decision for which round is better for a given application should be made with complete information, and this article simply serves as a comparative guide, not the final say. For more detailed ballistics information please refer to the exact round in question or contact the manufacturer for the pertinent information. True .30 M1 Carbine and .308 Winchester ballistics information can vary widely from the displayed information, and it is important to understand that the particular characteristics of a given round can make a substantive difference in its true performance.

Caliber Type Velocity (fps) Energy (ft-lb) .30 M1 Carbine Rifle 1990 960 .308 Winchester Rifle 2680 2620

Velocity

As illustrated in the chart, .30 M1 Carbine rounds – on average – achieve a velocity of about 1990 feet per second (fps) while .308 Winchester rounds travel at a velocity of 2680 fps. To put this into perspective, a Boeing 737 commercial airliner travels at a cruising speed of 600 mph, or 880 fps. That is to say, .30 M1 Carbine bullets travel 2.3 times the speed of a 737 airplane at cruising speed, while .308 Winchester bullets travel 3 times that same speed.

Various calibers

Energy

Furthermore, the muzzle energy of a .30 M1 Carbine round averages out to 960 ft-lb, while a .308 Winchester round averages out to about 2620 ft-lb. One way to think about this is as such: a foot-pound is a unit of energy equal to the amount of energy required to raise a weight of one pound a distance of one foot. So a .30 M1 Carbine round exits the barrel with kinetic energy equal to the energy required for linear vertical displacement of 960 pounds through a one foot distance, while a .308 Winchester round exiting the barrel has energy equal to the amount required to displace 2620 pounds over the same one foot distance. As a rule of thumb, when it comes to hunting, muzzle energy is what many hunters look at when deciding on what caliber of firearm / ammunition to select. Generally speaking, the higher the muzzle energy, the higher the stopping power. Again, the above is for comparative information purposes only, and you should consult the exact ballistics for the particular .30 M1 Carbine or .308 Winchester cartridge you’re looking at purchasing.

Please click the above links to take a look at all of the .30 M1 Carbine and .308 Winchester ammo we have in stock and ready to ship, and let us know any parting thoughts in the comment section below.

Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.

We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.

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