The .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield are both great cartridges, but have different strengths and weaknesses. So, the question central to the 270 vs 30-06 debate remains: which one should you be hunting with?
Most hunters and shooters probably agree that the .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield are both quite versatile and effective cartridges. After all, there is a reason why they are the two most popular centerfire rifle cartridges used by hunters in the United States.
While there is an overlap in their capabilities, the two cartridges are best suited to different tasks and represent two different ways of thinking. This is part of the reason why each cartridge has such a dedicated and loyal following and why the 270 vs 30-06 debate continues to rage on after so many years.
In today’s post, I’m going to discuss the merits of the 270 vs 30-06 and provide some insight into which cartridge you should be using in various situations.
Before we get started, I have two administrative notes:
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Additionally, I recorded an entire podcast episode on this exact subject. If you’d rather listen than read, click the appropriate link below to listen to this episode on your preferred podcasting service.
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30-06 vs 270 Podcast
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270 vs 30-06: Similarities
First, lets start with the areas where the .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield are similar.
Both the .270 Winchester and the .30-06 Springfield are descended from the .30-03 Springfield cartridge, which was itself heavily influenced by the 7mm Mauser. Both the .270 and .30-06 are great cartridges for hunting medium to large sized game all over the world ranging from roe deer to moose under the right circumstances. They also have great reputations for accuracy and performance at extended range.
They are also very popular cartridges among hunters and shooters all over the world. Indeed, those two cartridges are among the most commonly used centerfire cartridges in the United States.
For that reason, just about every gun manufacturer produces rifles chambered in .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield. The same goes for ammunition, so users of these cartridges have plenty of choices when it comes to good quality guns and ammo.
So, we’ve covered how the .270 and .30-06 are similar, but how are they different?
270 vs 30-06: Cartridge Sizes
The U.S. Army designed the .30-06 Springfield for use in the bolt action 1903 Springfield rifle in 1906 as an improvement on the .30-03 Springfield cartridge. The Army was just coming off the heels of a sobering lesson regarding the effectiveness of the 7mm Mauser in the hands of Spanish troops in Cuba in 1898 and wanted a cartridge and rifle that could compete with the revolutionary new Mauser.
Using smokeless powder and a new 150gr pointed bullet fired at a muzzle velocity of 2,700fps, the .30-06 Springfield was a significant improvement over previous cartridges the military used during that era like the .30-40 Krag and the .45-70 Government.
It didn’t take long for the .30-06 Springfield cartridge to catch on with the hunting and shooting communities and it was soon an extremely popular cartridge in the United States and in North America as a whole.
As good as the .30-06 Springfield was, not everyone was completely satisfied with it and wildcatters quickly started modifying the cartridge for more specialized tasks.
Around the same time gun designers were necking up the .30-06 to develop the .35 Whelen cartridge, engineers at Winchester decided to go the opposite route and neck down the .30-06 to use .277″ instead of .308″ bullets. The resulting .270 Winchester cartridge (also known as the .270 Win for short) was formally released in 1925 for the Winchester Model 54 rifle.
The original .270 Winchester load shot a 130 grain bullet at a blazing fast velocity (for 1925 anyway) of 3,140 feet per second (2,846 ft-lbs of energy).
Though the .270 Winchester was not an immediate success, American hunters appreciated the flat shooting characteristics of the round and the fact that it was so effective on thin skinned game. The cartridge gradually became more and more popular, which was helped by Jack O’Connor and his famous affinity for the cartridge that he expressed in countless Outdoor Life articles over the years.
That’s not to say that the cartridge only became the incredibly popular because of O’Connor. While O’Connor did indeed love the .270 Winchester and used it extensively on hunts all over the world, it was far from the only cartridge he used. The .270 Winchester was also a good enough cartridge and filled a big enough niche that it probably would have been successful even without any help from Jack O’Connor.
The .270 Winchester is something of an oddity when it comes to bullet diameter though. Unlike all the other popular 7mm cartridges like the 7mm Mauser, 7mm-08, 7mm Remington Magnum and the .280 Remington that use .284″ bullets, the .270 Winchester uses .277″ bullets.
It’s unclear exactly why Winchester decided to go with .277″ instead of .284″ bullets with the .270 Winchester. One theory is they choose that particular bullet size based on the obscure 6.8x57mm Chinese Mauser cartridge. It’s also possible they wanted to create a distinctly American bullet size and avoid the 6.5mm and 7mm bullets popular in Europe by building a new brand new bullet diameter 10% smaller than the one used in the .30-06 (.9 multiplied by .308 is .277).
Regardless of their reasons, the design team at Winchester went with a .277″ bullet diameter and the rest is history. Interestingly enough, while the .270 Winchester turned out to be a smashing commercial success for the company, .277″ bullets never really caught on. The 270 Winchester Short Magnum (270 WSM) and the .270 Weatherby Magnum are the only other two mass produced cartridges that utilize bullets of that size.
You can see the heritage of the .270 and .30-06 cartridges on display in the photos below.
The .270 Winchester has a slightly longer case length (2.54″ vs 2.494″), but the two cartridges are identical up to the shoulder.
Though the .30-06 Springfield cartridge in the photo is slightly shorter than the .270 Winchester cartridge, the SAAMI specifications for the two cartridges overlap and the .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield have the same maximum authorized overall length of 3.34″ (84.84mm).
Since the .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield have the same maximum overall length of 3.34″, both cartridges are used in long-action rifles.
Due to the fact that the .270 Winchester basically just uses a necked down .30-03 Springfield case (which is also the parent cartridge for the .30-06), both cartridges also have the exact same case diameter and virtually the same case capacity.
Note: while the case capacity figures listed below do give a good indication of the differences between the two cartridges, exact case capacities vary slightly according to the brand of brass used.
270 vs 30-06 Ballistics
The .30-06 Springfield is certainly no slouch in terms of velocity or trajectory, but the .270 Winchester has a clear advantage in both of those areas. Similar to the difference between the 7-30 Waters and the .30-30 Winchester, by necking down the .30-06 case to shoot smaller diameter bullets, the designers of the .270 Winchester were successful in building a cartridge with a higher velocity, flatter trajectory, and less recoil than the .30-06 Springfield.
This is because, when compared to the .30-06 Springfield, the smaller diameter .270 Winchester shoots lighter weight bullets.
For instance, the vast majority of .270 Winchester factory loads shoot bullets in the 120-150 grain range. Of these, 130 grain and 150 grain bullets are by far the most common. On the other hand, though it’s possible to find .30-06 ammo shooting bullets weighing as little as 110 grains and as heavy as 220 grains, most .30-06 Springfield factory loads use bullets in the 150-180 grain range. 150 grain, 165 grain, 168 grain, and 180 grain bullets are the most common these days.
The table below compares the 130gr Nosler AccuBond (.435 BC) in .270 Winchester to 150gr Nosler Partition (.387 BC), 165gr Nosler AccuBond (.475 BC), and 180gr Nosler AccuBond (.507 BC) loads in .30-06 Springfield. As you can see, there is a significant difference in the bullet trajectories between the two cartridges.
Though two of the .30-06 loads utilize bullets with a higher ballistic coefficient and have as much or slightly more energy remaining at 500 yards, the .270 Winchester load still hits 4-8″ higher than all three .30-06 loads.
Not only does the .270 Winchester have a noticeably flatter trajectory, but that particular load generates 22-36% less free recoil energy than those three .30-06 Springfield loads when used in the same rifle. Felt recoil will vary from shooter to shooter and rifle to rifle, but free recoil energy is still a useful way to compare the two cartridges.
It’s tough to pick a winner when it comes to accuracy of the 270 vs 30-06 because it’s something of an apples to oranges comparison. Most people agree that both cartridges are capable of excellent accuracy, but the .270 Winchester is used almost exclusively as a hunting cartridge while match shooters, military and police snipers, and hunters have all used the .30-06 Springfield extensively over the years.
That’s not to say the .270 Winchester isn’t an accurate cartridge. It most certainly is, but it just doesn’t have the same pedigree as the .30-06 Springfield in that regard and for that reason, there are very few choices available for .270 Winchester match ammo.
All that being said, both cartridges have the potential for excellent accuracy in the right hands.
270 vs 30-06: Ammunition Selection
The .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield are two of the most popular cartridges for hunters in the United States. For that reason, virtually every ammunition manufacturer of note like Barnes, Browning, Federal Premium, Hornady, Nosler, PPU, Remington, Swift, Weatherby, and Winchester (just to name a few) produce a wide variety of good quality ammo in various bullet weights for both cartridges. So regardless of whether you want lighter or heavier bullets for either cartridge, you should be able to find what you’re looking for.
Just about every major style of bullet is available in those cartridges as well like the Barnes TTSX, the Hornady GMX, InterBond, and SST, the Nosler AccuBond and Partition, the Remington Core Lokt, the Swift Scirocco and A-Frame, and the Winchester Power Point (just to name a few).
Prices and availability for each cartridge vary from region to region, but ammunition for both cartridges is widely available. In fact, if a sporting goods store only carried ammo for two different centerfire rifle cartridges, I’d bet money they’d have .270 and .30-06 ammo. Ammunition for both cartridges is similarily priced as well.
BUY SOME QUALITY 270 WINCHESTER AMMO HERE
BUY SOME EXCELLENT 30-06 SPRINGFIELD AMMO HERE
Read the articles below if you’d like to learn more details about some of the various hunting ammunition choices for the 270 or the 30-06.
Best 270 Ammunition For Hunting Deer, Bear, Hogs & Other Big Game
Best 30-06 Ammunition For Hunting Elk, Deer, Bear, & Other Game
If you’re into hand loading, then you’re also in luck because reloading components for both cartridges are widely available. There are also lots of good quality .277 and .308 caliber bullets to choose from, so you shouldn’t have much trouble working up a custom load that shoots very accurately in your chosen rifle.
270 vs 30-06: Rifle Selection
Since the .270 and .30-06 are such popular cartridges, there are lots and lots of rifles to choose from and virtually every firearms manufacturer produces rifles chambered in both cartridges. Additionally, because the cartridges are the same length and have the same rim diameter, rifles of the same model chambered in each cartridge are virtually identical to each other.
Among others, the Browning X-Bolt, CZ-550, Mossberg Patriot, Remington Model 700 and 783, Ruger American and M77 Hawkeye, Savage 11/111, Thompson Center Compass, Tikka T3X, Weatherby Mark V and Vanguard, and (of course) the Winchester Model 70 are all available in .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield.
As anyone who has read a few of his articles in Outdoor Life would know, Jack O’Connor’s favorite rifle was a Winchester Model 70 rifle chambered in .270 Winchester. Even though the Model 70s has been chambered in many other cartridges (including .30-06), and even though many other rifles are available in .270 Winchester, the Model 70 and the .270 Winchester remain irrevocably linked in the minds of many hunters due to O’Connor’s work.
By the way, O’Connor’s Model 70 is currently on display at the Jack O’Connor Museum in Lewiston, Idaho
The description reads:
Jack O’Connor’s Favorite Rifle: The Winchester Model 70 Featherweight .270 was purchased in Lewiston in 1959. It was custom-stocked by Al Biesen of Spokane who also fitted an engraved trap-door buttplate and grip cap. It was used by Jack from Botswana to British Columbia on a variety of game, including his last Stone ram in 1973.
BUY AN OUTSTANDING 270 WINCHESTER RIFLE HERE
BUY A DEPENDABLE 30-06 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE HERE
Read the article below if you’d like to learn more details about some of the various hunting rifle choices for the .270 Winchester.
Best 270 Rifles For Hunting – Ultimate Guide
270 vs 30-06: Which Is Right For You?
When using the right bullets and with good shot placement, both cartridges are excellent for hunting medium to large sized game. Indeed, both the .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield are great choices if you’re looking for a really versatile cartridge.
They are both extremely effective (and popular) deer hunting cartridges. Indeed, whitetail deer probably make up well over half of the game harvested by those two cartridges each year. The .270 and .30-06 also work really well for feral hogs and black bear hunting. The same goes for exotic game like sika, axis, and fallow deer.
However, this is where the strengths and weaknesses of each cartridge start to diverge.
The flat trajectory of the .270 Winchester makes it great for animals that are more likely to require longer range shots like mule deer or pronghorn. By the same token, the fact that the .270 also has a relatively mild recoil also makes it a great cartridge for mountain hunts where a lightweight rifle is really desirable. After all, there’s a reason why Jack O’Connor liked his .270 so much for hunting sheep why it’s also still such an effective cartridge for mountain goat, Himalayan Tahr, and chamois hunting.
On the other hand, since it shoots heavier and larger diameter bullets, the .30-06 Springfield has a clear advantage when hunting larger species like caribou, elk, and moose. When using a 180 grain bullet, the .30-06 also has a clear advantage when hunting most species of African plains game.
That doesn’t mean that you can hunt elk, moose, or plains game with a .270. After all, lots of hunters have killed untold numbers of those animals with a .270 over the years. If anything, the .270 Winchester is even more effective on really large game (elk hunting in particular) now than it was even 20 years ago because hunters have access to much better quality bullets these days.
For instance, the 150gr Nosler Partition below really did a number on a big kudu bull in South Africa.
There’s also nothing saying the .30-06 isn’t suitable for long range shots or that can’t also be a great rifle for a mountain hunt.
Like I said earlier, they’re both quite versatile, but that each cartridge is just a better choice for certain applications.
Do you primarily hunt deer, hogs, or bears in an area where long distance shots past 200 yards are uncommon and bullet drop is less of a concern? Both cartridges will work just fine under these circumstances and there isn’t much of a difference between them ballistically inside of 300 yards.
Are you very sensitive to recoil? Do you do a lot of mountain or backcountry hunts where it’s really nice to have a lightweight rifle? Consider going with the .270 Winchester, which has a lighter recoil that’s more manageable in a small and light rifle. With good shot placement and quality ammunition, the .270 Winchester is a wonderful choice for mountain goat, sheep, or tahr hunting.
Do you want to hunt larger game animals like elk, moose, red stag, and eland? Both cartridges will work, but the .30-06 Springfield offers a clear advantage since it can use heavier 180 grain bullets that are much better suited for extremely large and/or tough animals.
As I’ve stated before: the .270 Winchester and the .30-06 Springfield are both great rifle cartridges. While each one may be better suited to specific situations than the others, they are both very solid performers overall. The difference between them (270 vs 30-06) is not as great as it is sometimes made out to be and the animal will never know the difference if your shot is placed in the right spot.
Want to take a rifle chambered in one of these cartridges on a hunt?
Book an excellent black bear hunt here.
Book an outstanding African hunting safari here.
For a more detailed discussion on the .30-06 Springfield and how it compares to some other popular .30 caliber cartridges, or to learn about how the .270 compares to the .308 Winchester, or to learn about other cartridges specifically designed to improve upon the performance of the .30-06, read the articles below:
308 vs 30-06 vs 300 Win Mag: Which Cartridge Should You Be Hunting With?
7mm Rem Mag vs 300 Win Mag: What You Know May Be Wrong
25-06 vs 6.5 Creedmoor vs 270 Winchester: The Results Might Surprise You
270 vs 308: Which One Should You Hunt With?
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Nosler provided the load data used to compare recoil for the cartridges (here and here). Cartridge case capacities were obtained from Chuck Hawks. The Lyman 50th Edition (p197-198 & 246-250) and Hornady 10th Edition (p351-355, 510-522) reloading manuals were also used as references for this article. Maximum pressure obtained from SAAMI (p28 and p29). I used the Hornady Ballistic calculator and Handloads.com to compare wind drift, the range each bullet goes subsonic, and recoil for the cartridges.
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The hunting story follows human language back to the very beginning. And luckily for us bibliophiles, there are now hunting books, apps like Audible, and a Kindle to tell it.
Hunters know that stories abound the world over — and most spin plenty of their own tall tales. It’s easy to search the web and find a whole swath of hunting books sitting atop the charts. And those books about hunting are often entertaining, educational, and important.
But it turns out there are plenty of books that tell hunting stories without entirely branding them as such. Perhaps it’s a lauded gourmand recapping his life with bird dogs and expensive bottles of wine. Or perhaps it’s a series of outdoorsmen and women telling near-death stories that will both shock and educate you as you head afield.
It could also be a 1984 expedition into the Arctic, where a writer walks among natives — both wildlife and human — to learn the ways of their northern world. Or it could simply just be a collection of classic tried-and-true hunting stories, collected into one place for all to enjoy.
I gathered up a few of my favorites that walk the line and tell the tales. Among these best hunting books, I hope you find a few new favorites.
Best Hunting Books
‘Campfire Stories: Close Calls‘ by Steven Rinella & Contributors
My favorite hunting book of 2021 wasn’t a hunting book per se, but a hunting-adjacent audiobook experience put out by the MeatEater team in tandem with Audible. Inspired by a brown bear attack while filming a MeatEater episode, Rinella invites contributors with near-death stories that chill and entertain.
Stories range from bear attacks to backcountry falls to one particular harrowing escape from hypothermia. The quality of this audiobook experience is akin to listening to a really highly produced podcast in chunks from different folks on different topics. It’s a fun listen.
And I seriously doubt you’ll be able to drop one of these stories in the middle to listen to later. Once you’re in it, you’re in it.
Listen to ‘Campfire Stories: Close Calls’
‘The Hunter’s Game: Poachers and Conservationists in Twentieth-Century America‘ by Louis S. Warren
If you enjoy nerding out on conservation history like I do, “The Hunter’s Game” will take your understanding of American hunting culture to a new level. Historian Louis S. Warren weaves narratives that, though dense at times, are unlike any I’ve heard in the usual storytelling of American conservation lore.
The struggles of socioeconomic factors against a rising tide of sport hunters changed not only the face of wildlife management but also how Americans view wildlife in the broader scheme of things. And the stories he focuses on in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Montana shed a more complicated light on what it means to be a conservationist in modern-day America.
In my opinion, this is a must-read for all hunters and wildlife enthusiasts alike.
Read ‘The Hunter’s Game’
‘The Last Wild Road: Adventures and Essays from a Sporting Life‘ by T. Edward Nickens
T. Edward Nickens is one of the most prolific hunting writers among us, and his longtime effort as a journalist and editor-at-large at Field & Stream is reflected in this 2021 collection of stories.
Funny, poignant, and occasionally heartbreaking, Nickens’ stories run the gamut. But they always meet on the side of human connection in hunting, where consciousness meets the outdoors in fresh and sometimes surprising ways.
A personal favorite involves a trip to Pennsylvania, where Nickens meets and communes with a pair of brothers who lost their father in a hunting accident many years prior. What happens? You’ll have to read to find out.
Read ‘The Last Wild Road’
‘Traplines: Coming Home to Sawtooth Valley‘ by John Rember
I picked up “Traplines” off a bookshelf in the back of the Polebridge Mercantile outside of Glacier National Park. That weekend, it became a fast favorite.
Author John Rember tells the tale of his life spent in Idaho’s Sawtooth Valley. And he masterfully (and hilariously) weaves in the history of Sawtooth Valley, the plight of the salmon, learning to hunt with his father, and more.
I love this book. I reread it every year at least once, and it deserves a place on that coveted bookshelf.
Read ‘Traplines’
‘American Serengeti: The Last Big Animals of the Great Plains‘ by Dan Flores
If you’ve ever flown over middle America and stared down at the neverending grid of corn and suburbia, wondering what this place looked like before we plastered “for sale” signs and white picket fences all over it, this is the book to pick up.
Flores is a masterful writer and storyteller, and he delves into the wild history of the great plains. And, more specifically, he parcels out how the wildlife that makes its home there has fared through the colonization of the plains.
If hunting a bison or a pronghorn is on your list, get this book in your hands to better understand their plight.
Read ‘American Serengeti’
‘That Wild Country: An Epic Journey through the Past, Present, and Future of America’s Public Lands‘ by Mark Kenyon
The latest literary installment from the MeatEater crew is Mark Kenyon’s “That Wild Country.” Kenyon is a renowned figure in the current landscape of whitetail hunting, and he’s one of the most successful podcasters in the outdoor genre with his podcast Wired To Hunt. But aside from his regular gig in the hunting media world, he’s also an outdoor writer.
He enters the literary game with a book that celebrates his experiences on public lands while also delving into the history, politics, and possible future of our natural resources. The book is present, personal, and educational, and the reader will find it to be quite apt for the current moment whether they’re a hunter or an angler.
It’s also a great buy if you own a Kindle, offering free access with Kindle Unlimited or a $2 fee without.
Read ‘That Wild Country’
‘Great American Hunting Stories,’ Edited by Lamar Underwood
I like essay collections, and this one is particularly cool. It includes a lot of writing by big names in history like Theodore Roosevelt, Zane Grey, and William T. Hornaday.
This collection spans the globe, from getting charged by lions in the African bush to bird hunting in the American South. This collection is ready for readin’ by a roaring fireplace.
Read ‘Great American Hunting Stories’
‘Beyond Fair Chase: The Ethic and Tradition of Hunting‘ by Jim Posewitz
This small but mighty book is a beginner’s foray into the ethics of hunting. Often given out as part of course material for hunter education courses, “Beyond Fair Chase” opens the reader up to the basic foundation of what it means to be an ethical hunter.
And the book has now been in circulation for 27 years, with more than 2 million copies sold. At just $6, it’s affordable and makes for a great gift for the new or coming-of-age hunter. It’s not just a dry read on ethics, either. Posewitz fits in hunting stories and anecdotes throughout as examples of how to be a fair-chase hunter.
It’s also a great book for longtime hunters to revisit, offering a platform to expand on one’s own personal notions of fair chase while contemplating the reasons we all head out in the field in the first place.
Read ‘Beyond Fair Chase’
‘H Is for Hawk‘ by Helen McDonald
This is a beautiful book about an interspecies relationship with a primordial hunter. McDonald weaves her way through mortality and relationships while training and hunting with a goshawk.
The writing within this book is both stunning and crisp, and it won, oh, about a billion awards. If you haven’t read it, it’s a killer read, and both the paperback and Kindle versions are under $6 each.
Read ‘H Is for Hawk’
‘Off to the Side: A Memoir‘ by Jim Harrison
If you haven’t read Harrison by this point in your life, shame on you. And if I’d left him out of this list, the shame would be on me.
Harrison is a personal favorite writer of mine for both prose and poetry. And his memoir is fun, elegant, and delightfully twisted in a way that leaves you wishing you were tableside, stories rolling, a fire roaring, a glass of good wine in hand, with bird dogs sleeping at your feet.
He takes on a variety of his personal obsessions throughout. And, to be frank, I’d give this an R-rated review if it was a movie. He does dedicate an entire section to strippers. But he also dedicates an entire portion of the book to his own sporting tradition. And it’s pretty darn spectacular.
Read ‘Off to the Side’
‘Under the Biggest Sky of All: 75 Years on the Rocky Mountain Front‘ by Ron Mills
This book is a bit of an underdog, and you likely haven’t heard of it. But I love it.
Ron Mills is the old West as it lives in this moment, and this book is a gift from that tradition. His life on Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front is full of “campfire and horse sweat,” as the lauded writer Hal Herring puts it in the foreword. And Mills is certainly and definitively not a writer.
But that’s what makes this book so charming and deliriously fun. These are campfire stories, written down. They’re colloquial and cozy, and they’re full of grizzlies, floods, hypothermia, hunting, and much more. He covers the gamut of his life, and it’s just a kick in the Wranglers. Promise.
Read ‘Under the Biggest Sky of All’
‘Arctic Dreams‘ by Barry Lopez
I’ve loved this book for years. My copy is old, it’s ragged, and the edges of the pages are in that tired state of use that shows a certain kind of love for the writing.
“Arctic Dreams” hit the shelves in 1984, yet the book feels crisp, new, and prescient when it comes to the climate issues the Arctic faces today. Lopez digs deep — 496 pages deep — into the life, wildlife, hunting traditions, and cultural world of the Arctic Circle.
Frankly, it’s a spectacular, deliberate, and stunning literary opus that — in my very important opinion — is a perfect example of the highest echelon of writing. Can’t say much more. And y’all, it’s free to read on your Kindle if you have an Amazon Prime membership.
Read ‘Arctic Dreams’
‘A Hunter’s Heart: Honest Essays on Blood Sport,’ Edited by David Petersen
I list this book almost entirely because of the inclusion of my all-time favorite hunting essay “The Heart of the Game” by Tom McGuane. But, of course, it holds a swath of other great writers including President Jimmy Carter, Rick Bass, Terry Tempest Williams, and Ed Abbey.
I’d be doing it an injustice if I didn’t mention that the collection itself is impressive. But McGaune’s essay is particularly perfect. I found it over a decade ago in the collection “The Best of Outside: The First 20 Years.” It categorically changed my former non-hunter views on what hunting could be. And, really, it was the lead-in to my own journey as a sportswoman today.
You can read McGuane’s full essay here, but it’s worth putting it on your shelf. And if you’re putting it there, you’re certainly not making a mistake by having it live in this particular collection of hunting writing.
Read ‘A Hunter’s Heart’
‘The Mindful Carnivore: A Vegetarian’s Hunt for Sustenance‘ by Tovar Cerulli
I love this book for one primary reason: It’s a clear-cut outlier in the world of the traditional hunting story.
Cerulli documents his life as both a vegetarian and an eventual vegan. This book goes through the ins and outs of how our food relates back to the life cycle. It takes the reader through Cerulli’s deeply personal journey of deciding to put his own meat on the table through hunting.
This is the kind of book anyone and everyone can read and understand from an eating perspective. And voices like this have the power to change the public’s relationship with hunting.
In Florida, iguanas have become a big problem. They’re multiplying so quickly that they’re overrunning neighborhoods and eating through people’s gardens. If you live in Florida and are having an iguana infestation, don’t worry – there are steps you can take to get rid of them. In this blog post, we will outline some of the best methods for getting rid of iguanas so that you can reclaim your yard and garden. Keep reading to learn more!
The first step in getting rid of iguanas is to identify whether or not you have an issue. Iguanas are most active during the day, so if you see one basking in the sun on your property, that’s a good sign that you have an issue. Other signs include iguana droppings in your yard or garden, damage to plants or property, and hearing them rustling around at night. If you suspect you have an iguana problem, the next step is to take action.
There are a few different ways to get rid of iguanas. Read on for tips and tricks that will keep your home iguana-free.
One of the best ways to keep iguanas away from your home is to install physical barriers. Iguanas can climb, so it’s important to choose a material that they can’t grip onto or chew through. A fence made of chicken wire or hardware cloth is a good option. You can also use rocks or concrete blocks to create a barrier around your property.
Remove Their Food Sources:
Another way to deter iguanas is to remove their food sources. Iguanas like to eat fruits, vegetables, and flowers, so if you have these items on your property, you’re more likely to attract them. If possible, remove any plants that iguanas might find appealing. You can also try to keep your yard clean and free of debris.
Use Repellents:
There are a variety of commercial repellents available that will deter iguanas. These products typically contain ingredients like hot peppers or citronella, which iguanas don’t like. You can apply the repellent around the perimeter of your property or directly on plants that iguanas are attracted to.
Protect Your Pool:
If you have a pool, it’s important to take steps to protect it from iguanas. Iguanas like to swim and can easily drown in a pool if they can’t get out. To keep iguanas out of your pool, you can install a mesh cover or fence around it. You can also try adding a few floating objects that iguanas can use to climb out.
Trapping and Catching Iguanas:
One of the most effective ways to remove iguanas from your property is to trap them and then remove them. There are a variety of traps available, so choose one that’s best for your needs. Once you have the trap set up, baited, and in place, check it regularly to see if you’ve caught anything. If you have, simply release the iguana into an area far away from your home.
If you don’t want to use a trap, you can also try to catch the iguana by hand. This is more difficult, but it can be done if you’re careful. Wear gloves and Approach the iguana slowly from behind. Once you’re close enough, grab it by the tail. Iguanas can be aggressive, so be careful not to get bitten. Once you have a good grip on the iguana, lift it up and away from your body. Hold onto the tail as you carry the iguana to an area far away from your home where you can release it.
Hire a Professional:
If you’re having trouble getting rid of iguanas on your own, you may need to hire a professional. Wildlife removal experts have the experience and equipment necessary to safely remove iguanas from your property.
Do-It-Yourself method:
One of the cheap, effective ways to deal with the iguana problems is using an air rifle: You can take care of a bunch of these vermin by yourself in one good afternoon
The Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission (FWCC) has defined the iguanas that can be found throughout the South Florida area as an invasive species, not native to the state but recognized as causing a great impact on native wildlife. By being non-native, iguanas are not protected in Florida. This means that they can be captured and killed as long as the killing is carried out in a humane fashion any time they are found on private property, year-round, and without the need to obtain a hunting license or permit.
What smells keep iguanas away?
Some people have had success using commercial repellents that contain ingredients like hot peppers or citronella.
How do you get rid of iguanas in your yard?
You can try to remove any plants that iguanas might find appealing, use a fence made of chicken wire or hardware cloth, or try to keep your yard clean and free of debris. You can also apply repellent around the perimeter of your property or directly on plants that iguanas are attracted to. If you have a pool, you can install a mesh cover or fence around it.
What eats an iguana?
Iguanas are eaten by a variety of predators including snakes, birds, mammals, and other reptiles.
What is an iguana afraid of?
Iguanas are afraid of predators, so anything that might look like a predator to them can be used to scare them off. This includes loud noises, bright lights, and fast movements.
Do wind chimes keep iguanas away?
Some people believe that wind chimes help to keep iguanas away, but there is no scientific evidence to support this claim.
Can iguanas climb walls?
Yes, iguanas can climb walls. They have sharp claws that allow them to grip surfaces, and their long tails give them balance as they climb.
Do iguanas dig holes in the ground?
Iguanas will sometimes dig holes in the ground to create a place to hide from predators or to lay their eggs.
Conclusion
Iguanas are common in Florida, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with them. If you’re having trouble with these creatures, use the tips and tricks in this blog post to get rid of them for good.
By reader request, we’re putting two short-action gems up against one another, with a time-proven veteran with 70-plus years of hunting, military and target experience, and a relative newcomer that is quickly gaining favor in the hunting fields and target range. And despite the differences in bore diameter, many hunters are flocking to the smaller bullet diameter; the question is whether or not that change is warranted. Let’s compare the differences between Hornady’s 6.5 PRC and the classic .308 Winchester.
As the younger of the pair—having been released at the 2018 SHOT Show—the 6.5 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge) is often referred to as the big brother of the 6.5 Creedmoor. Based on the .375 Ruger, shortened to fit in a short-action magazine, the 6.5 PRC is a rimless cartridge, using its 30-degree shoulder for excellent headspacing and chamber concentricity. The case features the .532-inch-diameter case head common to the Holland & Holland family of cartridges, and measures 2.030 inches in length, with a cartridge maximum length of 2.955 inches. This leaves ample room outside the case mouth for those bullets which possess the high Ballistic Coefficient values, and make the best choices for shooting in high winds or at long distances. Like the Creedmoor, the vast majority of projectiles will top out at somewhere between 140 and 147 grains, with few exceptions.
The 6.5 PRC does offer a respectable velocity advantage over the Creedmoor—about 250-260 fps, putting it on par with the 6.5 Weatherby RPM, and ahead of factory ammo for the 6.5-284 Norma. Though it is short and squat—and visually reminiscent of the Winchester Short Magnum cartridges—I’ve found the 6.5 PRC feeds very well in any rifle with a decently designed feed ramp. At 2960 fps with a 143-grain Hornady ELD-X, the 6.5 PRC will throw those bullets in a very similar manner to the .300 Winchester Magnum with a good 180-grain bullet; when zeroed at 200 yards, it’ll print 6.4 inches low at 300 yards, 18.2 inches low at 400 yards, and 36.2 inches low at 500 yards (where it still retains over 1,600 ft.-lbs. of energy). In the recoil department, the 6.5 PRC does have a higher recoil level than does the 6.5 Creedmoor, but I’ve found it to be completely manageable.
The .308 Winchester came to light in the sporting world before it got its marching orders in the U.S. Army, being released in 1952. It is the result of the 1940s effort to reduce the size and weight of the cartridge, in order to maximize the soldier’s potential. Starting with the .300 Savage cartridge, the end result was what the military designated the T-65. Sharing the same case head dimension as the .30-06 Springfield (derived from the Mauser cartridges), the .308 Winchester effectively reproduced the Springfield’s performance – at least from a military perspective. The sporting world would cock an eyebrow, however, and that debate between the .308 and .30-06 rages on 70 years later. Like its forefathers, the 308 Winchester is rimless, with a .473”-diameter case head, and a 20-degree shoulder for headspacing. The case length is 2.015 inches, with a cartridge overall length of 2.810 inches; the resultant cartridge is one of the first to earn the moniker of “inherently accurate.”
With the 1:12-inch twist rate of the early sporting rifles, the .308 Winchester was limited to 200-grain bullets, though many were eventually offered with the faster 1:10-inch twist. As bullet technology improved, the need for 220-grain round nose definitely faded, but the argument is still raised that the Springfield handles heavy bullets better than does the .308 Winchester. I personally feel that bullets weighing between 150 and 180 grains make the best choice for big-game hunting, as with modern designs they are rugged enough to reach the vitals on game as large as moose and elk, yet don’t take up that precious real estate in the case. Many hunters feel the 165-grain bullets are the optimum balance of bullet weight and velocity in the .308 Winchester, and there is merit to that theory. Traveling at 2700 fps, the trajectory of the .308 Winchester isn’t as flat as the .300 Magnums, nor even the 6.5 PRC, but still makes a good choice for an all-around hunting rifle. With a common softpoint bullet, and a 200-yard zero, the 308 will print 8½ inches low at 300 yards, 25 inches low at 400 yards and 50 inches low at 500 yards, retaining over 1,100 ft.-lbs. of energy at the latter distance. And while these numbers may seem anemic when compared to some of the modern cartridge designs, remember that the .308 Winchester was once the undisputed darling of the long-range target crowd.
Grab a box of premium 180-grain ammunition for the .308 Winchester and you’ve got moose and elk medicine, as well as making a great choice for black bear anywhere. If you like to use your big-game rifle for the occasional coyote, the 125-grain bullets can be very effective, if a bit rough on the pelts.
With all this is mind, which makes the better choice for the hunter? A couple of factors should help dictate your choice of purchase: first, the choice of species to be pursued, and second, the ranges at which you hunt and your style of hunting. With the flexibility of bullet weight that .30-caliber has to offer, the .308 Winchester is, was, and always shall be a very versatile cartridge. At the most common hunting ranges, its trajectory and energy levels don’t pose an issue, and I feel that for the larger species the .308 Winchester offers an obvious advantage over and of the 6.5mms. Should you want your hunting cartridge to pull double duty as a competition target cartridge, especially at long ranges, the 6.5 PRC is a fine choice. Many feel that the 140- to 147-grain bullets are plenty of bullet weight for bears, elk and moose, though the author feels that a larger bore diameter and additional bullet weight will be greatly appreciated for those species. As a deer/sheep/antelope cartridge, the 6.5 PRC is a wonderful choice, and it is in that species range where I feel the cartridge absolutely shines.
Factory ammunition for the .308 Winchester is wonderfully plentiful, with all major manufacturers offering good choices. The 6.5 PRC has assuredly caught on, with at least one load offered by Winchester, Browning, Federal, Nosler, Norma and Barnes, as well as the Hornady offerings. To pick one over the other, I’m going to fall back on my inherent desire for flexibility, and that means I’ll have to choose the .308 Winchester for the wider variety of bullet weight, even if I’m giving up the hunting performance outside of 500 yards. There is a reason that the .30-caliber cartridges remain such popular choices in the hunting arena, and while the 6.5mms are certainly impressive far downrange, the majority of hunting certainly occurs inside of 400 yards.
Looking for previous installments of our “Head to Head” series? Click here.
If you are not so well versed in American history, Ishi was the very last member of the Yahi tribe.
The rest of the tribesmen had perished in the California genocide between 1849 and 1870.
For the next 44 years, Ishi survived in the wilderness with a few relatives of his, until he was “discovered” .
Two other well-known hunters, Art Young and Saxton Pope took him in as a refugee.
That is when Ishi passed on his unrivaled hunting skills to the native American Tribe known as Yahi.
Ishi had really mastered the art of stealth hunting.
Additionally, he would call quite a number of game animals with his own mouth!
And that’s how he survived for decades in the wilderness.
Then came the beloved Teddy Roosevelt – the 26th US president from 1901 to 1909.
How he loved wildlife!
So much so that he traveled with 250 men to the jungles of Africa for a hunting trip.
By the close of the trip, they had hunted down 1,100 game animals – of which 500 were large species – think of buffaloes, rhinos, elephants, and the like.
While Ishi mainly used the bow and arrow, Teddy Roosevelt gloried in his .500/450 caliber Holland & Holland double rifle, as well as the .405 Winchester firearm.
Now, firearms and crossbows aside, can an air rifle sneak you into the hunter’s hall of fame?
That is actually the thought that ignited my interest in air rifles.
Germany has been known to produce some of the best goods around the world, and the German-based Beeman is no exception.
Statista’s Made-In-Country Index reveals that:
“Made in Germany” is the most highly regarded quality label for goods and services around the world, outshining other major exporting nations’ trust marks such as “Made in USA” or “Made in UK”.
Perhaps the first feature of Beeman R9 you’ll fall in love with is the Rekord trigger.
Certainly, it is of the two-stage adjustable design – with the first stage comfortably light and the second stage adequately crisp.
You only need a 2.1-pounds pull on the trigger to fire the airgun.
Additionally, you’ll marvel at the exceptional attention to detail employed in manufacturing.
Talk of a splendidly stained hardwood ambidextrous stock onto which other fittings and moving parts are attached with the highest achievable level of precision.
The Beeman R9 is equally good in performance, on top of the looks.
The .177 caliber gives you an average of 14 FPE, while the .22 model yields about 17 FPE.
That should be enough for all your plinking, targeting shooting, pest eradication, and small game hunting needs.
Accuracy
Calibers
Pellets
Distances
Groups
.22
Crosman Premiere Hollow Point 14.3 gr
20 yards
dime size
.22
Air Arms Diabolo Field 16 Gr
25 yards
dime size
.177
H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 gr
10 yards
0.16"
.177
H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 gr
20 yards
0.17"
.177
H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 gr
30 yards
0.49"
.22
Predator GTO 11.75 Gr
25 yards
0.5"
.22
Predator GTO 11.75 Gr
50 yards
1"
.22
H&N Barracuda Hunter Extreme
20 yards
1/4"
.22
RWS Meisterkugeln 14 gr
50 yards
dime size
.177
Beeman Kodiak Match 10.65 gr
60 yards
quarter size
.22
H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66 gr
25 yards
0.5"
.177
H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 gr
25 yards
0.4"
.22
Beeman FTS Double Gold 14.66 Gr
25 yards
one hole
.22
JSB Exact pellet
25 yards
dime size
.22
RWS Hobby pellet
30 meters
dime size
.22
JSB Diabolo Exact Jumbo Express 14.3 gr
50 yards
quarter size
.177
H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 Gr
25 yards
dime size
.177
H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 Gr
25 yards
dime size
.177
RWS Supermag 9.3 gr
25 yards
1/2"
.177
Crosman Premier Heavy 10.5 gr
20 yards
dime size
.177
Predator Polymag 8.0 gr
25 yards
1/4"
.177
Beeman FTS 8.64 gr
50 yards
7/16"
.22
RWS Meisterkugeln 14gr
20 yards
0.22"
.22
JSB Hades 15.89 gr
25 yards
0.44"
.22
H&N Terminator 16.36gr
25 yards
0.35"
.22
H&N Terminator 16.36gr
50 yards
0.65"
Chrony tests
Calibers
Pellets
FPS
FPE
.22
H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66 gr
750
18.32
.20
JSB Exact 13.9 gr
708
15.48
.20
H&N Field Target 11.42 gr
772
15.12
.22
Predator GTO 11.75 Gr
757
14.95
.20
H&N Field Target 11.42 gr
780
15.43
.22
RWS Meisterkugeln 14 gr
741
17.07
.22
H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66 gr
730
17.35
.20
Beeman H&N Match 10.03 Gr
820
14.98
.22
Beeman FTS Double Gold 14.66 Gr
680
15.06
.177
JSB Match Diabolo Exact 8.44 Gr
860
13.86
.22
Crosman Premier Hollow Point 14.3 Gr
725
16.69
.22
H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66 gr
700
15.95
.177
JSB Match Diabolo Exact 8.4 Gr
803
12.03
.177
Crosman Premier 7.9 Gr
830
12.09
.22
RWS Meisterkugeln 14gr
713
16
.22
JSB Hades 15.89 gr
656
15.19
.22
H&N Terminator 16.36gr
658
15.73
.22
H&N Baracuda 18.21 gr
651
17.14
.22
Predator GTO 11.75 gr
814
17.29
.22
JSB Exact Jumbo 13.43 gr
674
13.55
.177
Beeman Kodiak 10.6 gr
770
13.97
.177
RWS Hobby 7.0 gr
931
13.45
Recommended uses
Target shooting/plinking
Pest control/ small game hunting: squirrels, raccoons, chipmunks, possums, starlings, pigeons.
The Weihrauch HW90 Breakbarrel Air Rifle combines quality construction with superior accuracy.
With over 50 years of manufacturing experience, Weihrauch sets the standard for air rifles. The natural proportions and beautiful deep bluing give the rifle a classic aesthetic that is sure to stand the test of time.
While many modern airguns provide accuracy, those familiar with Weihrauch’s products know no other brand delivers the same level of precision and reliability as this model.
Whether shooting with or without a scope, you can be sure that you will hit the 10-ring time and time again.
The Weihrauch HW90 break barrel air rifle is a powerful, reliable hunting rifle that you can depend on for decades of use.
Perfect for small to medium-sized pests and games, the gas spring ensures easy cocking while you wait for the ideal shot.
Unlike traditional metal mainsprings that may weaken with time, the HW90 consistently performs at its best no matter how often it’s used.
With hunting with air rifles becoming increasingly popular, this product is perfect for states that are specifying particular games which can be hunted with them.
If you’re not a hunter but still have an interest in quality air guns then the Weihrach HW90 break barrel rifle won’t ever let you down.
Extremely sturdy and long-lasting, this gun will give you optimal performance on a day out at target practice or plinking. With extraordinary craftsmanship embodying German engineering standards, this gun will be sure to bring many years of fun and service.
Accuracy
Calibers
Pellets
Distances
Groups
.177
Beeman Kodiak 10.65 Tapered dome
25 yards
dime size
.25
Diana magnums 20gr
20 yards
3/4"
.22
H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66 Gr
40 yards
0.15"
Chrony tests
Calibers
Pellets
FPS
FPE
.25
JSB Match Diabolo Exact King 25.39 Gr
562
17.81
.25
JSB Diabolo Exact King Heavy 33.95 Gr
426
13.68
.25
Eun Jin 35.8 Gr
460
16.82
.22
Webley Mosquito 14.35gr
726
16.8
.25
Beeman Kodiak Extra Heavy 31.02 gr
590
23.98
.22
Crosman Premier Hollowpoint 14.3 gr
787
19.67
.22
H&N Hollow Point 12.65 gr
879
21.71
Recommended uses
Target shooting/plinking
Pest control/ small game hunting: squirrels, rabbits, rats, pigeons.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Made in Germany
Beautiful laser engraved stock and deeply blued steel
Built like a tank
Great adjustable trigger
Great accuracy, velocity, and power
Excellent durability
Admirable safety mechanism
Benefits of gas pistons - including no spring fatigue
More effort is required when cocking the rifle
The heavyweight necessitates a sling if you intend to use it for hunting
As you can kill the listed animals with less FPE than the stated values if you are more accurate.
Game
Minimum acceptable caliber
Minimum energy (FPE)
Small birds
.177
5
Medium birds
.177
7
Large birds
.22
11
Squirrel sized game
.22
9
Rabbit sized game
.22
9
Racoon sized game
.22
25
Possum sized game
.22
25
Fox sized game
.22
35
Coyote sized game
.30
50
Javelina sized game
.357
90
Small deer
.357
100
Medium deer
.40
150
Larger deer
.45
200
Hog
.45
200
The above narration is meant to show what you are capable of doing with the Diana 350 Magnum – which shoots pellets at a maximum muzzle velocity of 1250 fps, delivering a killing power of about 23 FPE on average.
That is sure enough for many small-sized and medium-sized games.
The Diana 350 Magnum is a high-powered spring piston air rifle that is perfect for plinking and small game hunting. With its streamlined Monte Carlo beechwood stock and adjustable 2-stage T06 trigger, the Diana 350 Magnum is a force to be reckoned with on the backyard range.
Available in .177 and .22 caliber, this springer can send rounds flying at speeds up to 1,250 fps, making it more than capable of taking down small games at long range.
Each Diana 350 Magnum comes with adjustable rear sights for quick and easy target acquisition, and an 11mm Dovetail scope mount for adding a scope for even more precision.
Add in the Diana T06 2-stage adjustable trigger, which allows you to customize the pull weight, sear engagement, and length of the first stage, and you have a recipe for success on your hands.
So whether you’re looking to take down some tin cans on the range or put meat on the table, the Diana 350 Magnum is sure to get the job done.
Features
Deep blued
Rear is adjustable
Raised cheekpiece
Monte Carlo buttstock with ventilated buttpad
Beech stock
11mm scope rail
Ideal for hunting
T06 Trigger
Accuracy
Calibers
Pellets
Distances
Groups
.22
JSB Jumbo Heavy 18.13 gr
30 yards
0.5"
.22
JSB Diabolo Jumbo 15.89 Gr
30 yards
3/4"
.22
Crosman Premium Ultra Domed 14.3gr
60 yards
1"
.22
Beeman Crow Magnum 18.21 gr
30 yards
nickel size
.177
Beeman Kodiak 10.65 gr
25 yards
dime size
.22
JSB Diabolo Exact Jumbo 18.13 gr
100 ft
nickel size
.22
H&N Crow Magnum 18.21 Gr
20 yards
1/2"
.22
Beeman FTS Copper 14.72 gr
25 yards
1/2"
.177
Crosman Premier 7.9 gr
25 yards
dime size
.22
Beeman Kodiak
50 yards
one hole
.22
JSB Predator
30 yards
one hole
.22
Predator pellet
50 yards
one hole
.22
Crossman premier hollow point
30 yards
0.5"
.22
JSB Diabolo Exact Jumbo 18.13 gr
25 yards
0.58"
Chrony tests
Calibers
Pellets
FPS
FPE
.22
JSB Diabolo 18.13 gr
775
24.19
.22
JSB 15.89 gr
769
20.87
.22
JSB Jumbo Heavy 18.13 gr
738
21.93
.22
RWS Superdome 14.5 gr
875
24.66
.22
Crosman Premier Pellets 14.3 Gr
850
22.95
.177
H&N Baracuda Hunter 10.49 gr
980
22.38
.177
Air Arms Field Heavy Pellet 10.34 gr
986
22.33
.177
Beeman Kodiak 10.65 gr
930
20.46
.22
JSB Diabolo Exact Jumbo 18.13 gr
788
25
.22
RWS Meisterdugeln 14.0 Gr
815
20.65
.22
H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme Pellets 19.09 Gr
752
23.98
.177
Crosman Domed Field 10.5gr
930
20.17
.177
RWS pellet 8.2 gr
1055
20.27
.22
RWS Superdome 14.5 Gr
949.8
29.05
.22
Crosman premier 14.3 gr
855.44
23.24
.22
JSB Exact 15.8 gr
757.9
20.16
.22
RWS Superdome 14.5 Gr
847
23.1
.177
Crosman Premier Light 7.9 gr
850
12.68
.177
Crosman Premier 10.5 grain
810
15.3
.22
RWS Hollow Point 14.2 Gr
825
21.47
.22
JSB Diabolo Exact Jumbo 18.13 gr
778.4
24.4
Recommended uses:
Target shooting/plinking
Pest control/small game hunting: woodchucks, possums, gophers, rabbits, eastern grays, crows, squirrels, raccoons, jackrabbits, feral cats, groundhogs, and small foxes.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Powerful and well-finished
Great for shooting rabbits, crows, Eastern grays, and woodchucks
Quality of the beechwood stock and the deep blueing of the metal
The most powerful break barrel air rifle: Hatsan 135 QE Vortex
The Hatsan Model 135 Vortex QE Breakbarrel Air Rifle is the perfect choice for serious outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and air gun shooters.
Built with Hatsan’s Vortex gas piston, this air rifle provides smoother cocking and shooting with no spring torque or spring fatigue.
Its QuietEnergy shroud and integrated sound moderator make it approximately 50% quieter than without it. The precision rifled, German steel barrel allows for superior accuracy.
The Quattro 2-stage adjustable match trigger is adjustable for trigger-pull weight, first stage, second stage, and length of travel; plus it features a gold-plated metal trigger blade for an extra touch of style and luxury.
Cold weather? No problem: the Hatsan 135 was designed to function perfectly in cold climates.
The Hatsan 135 Vortex QE Breakbarrel Air Rifle is the perfect addition to any outdoors enthusiast’s arsenal, delivering maximum performance and power.
With a max muzzle velocity of 1550 feet per second and a max energy of 34 FPE, this high-powered air rifle offers powerful shooting capabilities.
Hatsan’s patented Shock Absorber System (SAS) and rubber recoil pad work together to reduce felt recoil for comfortable shooting and ease of use.
This air rifle also boasts an 11mm dovetail & Weaver optics rail with an included scope stop, so you can pair it with your preferred scope for precise accuracy.
Even without one, you won’t experience difficulty hitting your target — each Model 135 QE comes standard with micro-adjustable green fiber optic rear sights and a fixed red fiber optic front sight.
To ensure your safety while in use, this air rifle includes manual safety, automatic cocking safety, and an anti-bear trap mechanism.
From its stylish ambidextrous Turkish walnut stock featuring an adjustable Monte Carlo comb and stylish checkering on both the grip and forend, to its powerful design that shoots pellets up to 1000 feet per second in .177 cal, this gun will give you everything you need to take on small game.
But that’s not all – it also has built-in sling mounts so that wherever you go shooting, carrying your rifle will be easier than ever before.
If you’re an outdoors enthusiast or hunter with a taste for the finer details in rifle design, the Hatsan Model 135 QE is the perfect fit for you; reliability and precision combined with elegance and comfort.
Features:
Single shot, break barrel
Vortex gas piston
QuietEnergy shrouded barrel with an integrated sound moderator
Rifled German steel barrel
Quattro 2-stage adjustable trigger, with metal trigger blade
Automatic cocking safety
Resettable manual safety
Anti-bear trap safety
11mm dovetail and Weaver optics rail with metal scope stop
Ambidextrous stock with adjustable Monte Carlo cheekpiece
Turkish walnut stock with checkering on grip and forend
SAS (shock absorber system) and rubber butt pad for recoil absorption
Micro-adjustable rear sight, for both windage and elevation, with green fiber optics
Fixed front sight with red fiber optic
Built-in sling mounts
6 lbs.
Max Velocity* – Lead-Free Pellets – .177 cal – 1550 FPS, .22 cal – 1250 FPS, .25 cal – 900 FPS
Max Velocity* – Lead Pellets – .177 cal – 1300 FPS, .22 cal – 1000 FPS, .25 cal – 850 FPS
Max Muzzle Energy** – .177 cal – 28 FPE, .22 cal – 33 FPE, .25 cal – 34 FPE
Accuracy
Calibers
Pellets
Distances
Groups
.25
JSB Diabolo Exact King Heavy 33.95 Gr
25 yards
dime size
.25
JSB Diabolo Exact King Heavy 33.95 Gr
35 yards
nickel size
.30
JSB Diabolo Exact 44.75 Gr
25 yards
quarter size
.25
H&N Grizzly 31 gr
40 yards
1"
.30
JSB Diabolo Exact 50.15 Gr
30 yards
one hole
.30
Predator Polymag 44.75 gr
50 yards
.75"
Chrony tests
Calibers
Pellets
FPS
FPE
.25
JSB Diabolo Exact King Heavy 33.95 Gr
746
42
.30
JSB Diabolo Exact 50.15 Gr
553
34.06
.30
Predator Polymag 44.75 gr
533
28.24
.30
JSB Exact 44.75gr
534
28.34
.25
H&N Field Target Trophy 20.06 gr
780
27.11
.25
H&N Hornet 22.07 gr
750
27.57
.30
JSB Diabolo Exact 44.75 Gr
570
32.29
.25
H&N Grizzly 31gr
692
33
.22
JSB Match Diabolo Exact Jumbo Heavy 18.13gr
810
26.42
.25
JSB Diabolo Exact King 25.39 gr
820
37.92
.30
JSB Diabolo Exact 50.15 Gr
595
39.43
.22
H&N Slug HP Heavy 36 Gr
716
40.99
.30
Predator Polymag 44.75 gr
550
30.07
.30
JSB Diabolo Exact 50.15 Gr
553
34.06
.22
Crosman Premier 14.3 gr
924
27.12
.25
H&N Field Target Trophy 20.06 Gr
785
27.46
.22
Predator Polymag 15.89 gr
938
31.05
Recommended uses
Pest control/small game hunting: squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, coyotes, groundhogs.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Incredible wood and craftsmanship
Beautiful stock and barrel
Adjustable 2-stage trigger
Very steady and balanced due to the weight
Universal weaver/11mm dovetail rail
Nice fiber-optic sights with adjustable rear
Adjustable cheek rest and recoil butt pad
Effective shock absorbent system at reducing the recoil
Heavy
Cocking mechanism takes power
Hard to find ammo if you choose a .30 caliber version
Best break barrel air rifle under $150: Black Ops Tactical Sniper Combo
Meet the Black Ops Tactical Sniper Spring piston Breakbarrel Air Rifle. With its outstanding accuracy and range, it is the perfect tool for outdoors enthusiasts and avid air rifle shooters.
This high-powered pellet gun is capable of firing .177 caliber (4.5mm) pellets at speeds up to 1,250 FPS with incredible consistency and power.
You don’t need to worry about spooking the game when using this Sniper Rifle as it was designed to be extremely quiet, in fact, it comes with an attached suppressor for sound control.
With a simple cock break loading mechanism and durable construction materials, you can trust that you are getting quality and performance from this air rifle every time you use it.
The Black Ops Tactical Sniper Spring piston Breakbarrel Air Rifle is the ultimate tool for all outdoor enthusiasts and hunters who strive for accuracy and precision.
This high-caliber air rifle boasts a smooth trigger pull, blued steel construction for incredible toughness and durability, as well as a comfortable grip for hours of comfortable shooting.
The sniper piece also comes with a 6-inch Picatinny rail for mounting any compatible optics or accessories, plus an adjustable bi-pod to ensure you hit your target every time.
And if that wasn’t enough, this air rifle also comes with a 4×32 rifle scope with cover and an adjustable cheek rest so that you can get into proper shooting form even faster.
Features:
Powerplant: Gas-piston/Spring -piston
Break barrel
Single-shot
Muzzlebrake for extra cocking leverage
Weaver/Picatinny optics rail
Adjustable comb
Synthetic stock
Automatic safety
44 lbs. cocking effort
44 inches long
Bipod legs extend from 8″ to 10″
Bipod legs fold up out of the way
Includes 4×32 scope (unmounted), mount, and adjustable bipod attached to the forearm
Includes detachable open sights (.22 cal version only!)
Accuracy
Calibers
Pellets
Distances
Groups
.177
Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 gr
20 yards
0.5"
.22
Crosman Premier Hollow Point Pellets 14.3 Gr
10 yards
nickle size
.22
Crosman Premier Hollow Point Pellets 14.3 Gr
20 yards
dime size
.22
H&N Crow Magnum 18.21 Gr
35 yards
quarter size
Chrony tests
Calibers
Pellets
FPS
FPE
.177
Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 gr
947
15.74
.22
RWS Hyper Velocity 11 gr
833
16.95
.177
Crosman Destroyer 7.90 gr
1081
20.5
.177
H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 gr
925
20.24
.177
RWS HyperMAX 5.2 Gr
1232
17.53
.177
RWS Hobby 7gr
1057
17.37
.177
RWS Superdome 8.3 gr
937
16.19
.177
JSB Match Diabolo Exact 8.44 Gr
986
18.22
.177
H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 Gr
938
16.88
.177
H&N Crow Magnum 8.80 Gr
918
16.47
.177
Gamo Rocket 9.6 Gr
902
17.35
.177
Crosman Premier Heavy 10.5 Gr
855
17.05
.177
Beeman Silver Arrow 11.57 gr
808
16.78
Recommended uses
Target shooting/plinking
Pest control/small game hunting: rats, raccoons, quails, doves, rabbits.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Impressive tactical design
The safety switch location in front of the trigger makes it easy to use “blind”
The durability of the bi-pod, and the spring-assisted leg extension design is up to par.
Best break barrel air rifle for the money: Gamo Swarm Magnum 10X Gen3i
The Gamo Swarm Magnum 10x Gen3i Gas-piston Break-barrel Air Rifle is the perfect embodiment of cutting-edge air rifle technology for outdoors enthusiasts and air rifle shooters alike.
An innovative 10X GEN3i Inertia Fed Magazine allows for the rapid reloading of 10 shots in a lighter, more compact, and low-profile package.
An upgraded mechanism makes the magazine rotate to rapidly insert pellets into the breech using the inertia of the recoil when shooting.
The improved accuracy, smoother operation, and terminal penetration make this air rifle a must-have for any competitive marksman.
Ultimately, experience maximum performance in an outdoor setting with IGT Mach 1 high-power gas piston technology.
With more precision, less vibration, and true knockdown power, this 33-millimeter cylinder sends pellets up to 1650 FPS with alloy ammo – allowing you to strike targets with maximum force and accuracy.
Combining these top-tier features, Gamo Swarm Magnum 10x Gen3i Gas-piston Break-barrel Air Rifle provides both recreational shooters and serious marksmen alike with an exceptional tool of modernity that simply cannot be rivaled by conventional firearms.
The Gamo Swarm Magnum 10x Gen3i is the ideal choice for any outdoors enthusiast, hunter, or air rifle shooter.
With its Whisper Fusion technology and CAT Trigger, you get the perfect combination of silence and precision.
The Whisper Fusion technology utilizes a double-integrated sound moderator to make it the quietest air rifle in Gamo’s line of products. As you fire off shots, the pellet travels through two different chambers, compressing and preventing any noise expansion.
With its independent adjustable 1st and 2nd stages, the CAT Trigger allows you to tailor your trigger to how you want it – giving you complete control over your shot.
Thanks to its Recoil Reducing Rail and All-Weather Thumbhole Synthetic Stock, you get recoil reduction that’s almost 100%, plus lightweight construction that provides steady and reliable performance in any weather.
The Gamo Swarm Magnum 10X Gen3i features a two-piece aluminum construction rail separated by dual polymer struts to absorb shock waves produced by the recoil.
The size and shape of the stock have been carefully crafted to fit most shooters, providing a perfect alignment with your scope for optimal accuracy.
Not only does it look impressive, but this lightweight, the tough design allows for all-weather shooting when outdoors – so you can enjoy shooting no matter the weather!
Features:
10X GEN 2 Quick-Shot inertia-fed magazine
Max velocity: 1300 fps with alloy, 975 fps with lead
What’s more? The Rekord trigger shortens the learning curving curve by a lot.
With 820 fps in .177 caliber and 650 fps in .22 caliber, you can enjoy endless plinking and target practice.
Designed and manufactured in Germany using the latest sporting arms technology by a company with decades of experience and an eye for detail, this air rifle is perfect for all types of leisure and sporting use.
It is easy to handle yet packs a powerful punch thanks to its solid construction and reliable piston spring. Its excellent accuracy ensures that you’ll be able to hit your target every time when you pull the trigger.
This well-crafted weapon features an automatic safety, match-type trigger “Rekord” for enhanced accuracy and power, tunnel front sight with interchangeable inserts for clear target acquisition, and micrometer sight adjustable for windage and elevation with four different notches for personalized shooting.
The beechwood ambidextrous stock is both accomplished in its style and comfortable to hold, featuring a long and handy forearm and cheekpiece on both sides as well as checkering on the pistol grip and forearm for secure handling even in adverse conditions.
Features
Single-shot
24 lbs. cocking effort
Checkered beech stock with raised cheekpiece
2-stage adjustable Rekord trigger
Globe front sight accepts inserts (included)
Adjustable rear sight
Steel barrel & receiver
Rubber buttpad
Incl. front sight inserts
Accuracy
Calibers
Pellets
Distances
Groups
.22
H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme 18.5 gr
20 yards
1/2"
.177
H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 Gr
10 meters
dime size
.177
H&N Excite Spike Pointed 8.64 Gr
25 yards
0.5"
.177
Predator Polymag 8 Gr
15 meters
dime size
.22
Crosman Hollow Point 14.3 gr
25 yards
0.5"
.177
JBS Exact
25 yards
5/16"
.177
Crosman Premier 7.9gr
10 yards
one hole
.177
H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 Gr
35 yards
dime size
.177
JSB Match Diabolo Exact 8.44 Gr
10 yards
0.16"
.177
H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 Gr
30 yards
1/4"
.177
RWS Superdomes 8.3gr
25 yards
0.5"
Chrony tests
Calibers
Pellets
FPS
FPE
.177
RWS Hobby 7 Gr
864
11.61
.177
H&N Excite Spike Pointed 8.64 Gr
765
11.23
.177
Predator Polymag 8 Gr
775
10.67
.177
Crosman Premier 7.9gr
765
10.27
.22
Crosman Premiers 14.3 gr
610
11.80
.177
H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 Gr
754
10.91
.22
RWS Superdome 14.5 gr
630
12.78
.22
H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66 Gr
616
12.36
.177
JSB Exact 8.4 gr
775
11.21
.177
RWS Super Point 6.9 Gr
815
10.18
.22
RWS Hobby 11.9 gr
650
11.17
.177
Crosman Premier 7.9 gr
770
10.4
.177
JSB Exact heavies 10.5 gr
660
10.16
.177
Crosman Premier 7.9 Gr
769
10.38
Recommended uses:
Target shooting/backyard plinking
Pest control: crows, iguanas, rats.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Lightweight and compact
Beautiful stock and excellent HW barrel
Not very hold sensitive
Accurate with open sights
The rear sight has three different notches (different widths) and a V-notch
The Beeman R7 Air Rifle will be useful if your aim is backyard plinking.
You’ll produce less than 70dB – with .177 pellets shooting at 700 fps and 7 FPE.
This customized version of Weihrauch’s HW30 offers superior comfort and fit with a North American-style stock as well as availability in a .20 caliber option in addition to the traditional .177 version marketed by Weihrauch.
Crafted for ultimate function and form, the Beeman R7 features metal surfaces of superior quality exhibiting a high level of machining and polishing.
Fitted with the renowned Rekord trigger, this two-stage adjustable unit offers no creep and a smooth let-off – allowing you to get on target faster and remain there longer than ever before.
Beeman offers their renowned R7 in a unique .20 caliber, giving shooters access to exclusive models.
However, when it comes down to cost and pellet options the classic .177 caliber is unbeatable; we recommend light pellets between 7-8 grains for optimal performance from your R7 – such as Beeman Silver Bear or HW/RWS Match Pellets.
Features:
Spring-Piston
Break barrel
2-stage adjustable Rekord trigger
Rubberized buttpad
18 lbs of cocking effort
11mm Dovetail rail
Adjustable rear sight and globe front sight
Automatic safety
Accuracy
Calibers
Pellets
Distances
Groups
.177
FX Air Rifle 8.4 Gr
25 yards
one hole
.177
JSB Match Diabolo Exact 8.44 Gr
25 yards
1/4"
.177
Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 gr
50 feet
dime size
.177
Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 gr
20 yards
quarter size
.177
JSB Exact RS 7.33 gr
22 yards
one hole
.177
RWS Hobby 7 gr
10 yards
one hole
.177
JSB Match Diabolo Exact 8.4 Gr
20 yards
dime size
.177
H&N Field Target Trophy Cal, 8.64 Gr
25 yards
0.5"
.177
JSB Match Exact Express Diabolo 7.87 Gr
27 meters
3/8"
.177
RWS Hobby 7 gr
27 meters
0.5"
.177
Beeman Hollow Point Coated 7.2 gr
15 yards
.323"
.177
RWS Superdome 8.3 Gr
15 yards
.323"
.177
Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 gr
15 yards
.573"
.177
Air Arms Diabolo Field 8.44 Gr
15 yards
.198"
.177
Air Arms Falcon 7.33 Gr
15 yards
.448"
.177
Beeman Hollow Point Coated 7.2 gr
20 yards
.698"
.177
RWS Superdomes 8.3 gr
20 yards
.698"
.177
Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 gr
20 yards
.823"
.177
Air Arms Diabolo Field 8.44 Gr
20 yards
.448"
.177
Air Arms Falcon 7.33 Gr
20 yards
.511"
.177
Beeman Hollow Point Coated 7.2 gr
25 yards
.761"
.177
RWS Superdome 8.3 Gr
25 yards
.948"
.177
Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 gr
25 yards
.823"
.177
Air Arms Diabolo Field 8.44 Gr
25 yards
.636"
.177
Air Arms Falcon 7.33 Gr
25 yards
.573"
.177
Beeman Silver Bear 7.1 gr
40 yards
5/8"
Chrony tests
Calibers
Pellets
FPS
FPE
.177
Crosman Premier Hollow Point 7.9 gr
745
9.74
.177
JSB Exact RS 7.33 gr
679
7.51
.177
H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 Gr
555
5.91
.177
RWS Hobby 7 gr
649
6.55
.177
RWS R10 Light 7 gr
660
6.77
.177
Beeman Silver Bear 7.1 gr
637
6.4
.177
RWS Super-H-Point 6.9 gr
637
6.22
.177
Napier ProHunter 7.69gr
611
6.38
.177
JSB Match Exact Express Diabolo 7.87 Gr
623
6.78
.177
Crosman Premier Light 7.9 Gr
592
6.15
.177
Predator Polymag 8.0 gr
618
6.79
.177
H&N Match Heavy 8.18 Gr
611
6.78
.177
RWS Superdome 8.3 gr
563
5.84
.177
RWS Superpoint 8.2 gr
556
5.63
.177
RWS-R-10 Match Heavy 8.2 Gr
575
6.02
.177
RWS Meisterkugeln 8.2 Gr
586
6.25
.177
H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 Gr
624
7.47
.177
Beeman Silver Sting 8.64 Gr
615
7.26
.177
Beeman FTS Double Gold 8.64 Gr
607
7.07
.177
H&N Crow Magnum 8.80 Gr
568
6.31
.177
RWS SUPERMAG 9.3 gr
478
4.72
.177
JSB Diabolo Exact Heavy 10.34 Gr
527
6.38
.177
Crosman Premier Heavy 10.5 Gr
470
5.15
.177
Beeman Kodiak Match 10.65 gr
514
6.25
.177
Beeman Kodiak Double Gold 10.65 Gr
502
5.96
.177
Beeman Silver Arrow 11.57 gr
446
5.11
.20
Beeman Silver Bear 9.88 Gr
546
6.54
.20
Beeman Silver Sting 12.81 Gr
505
7.26
.20
H&N Spitzkugel 10.96 Gr
551
7.39
.20
Beeman Field Target Specials 11.42 Gr
496
6.24
.20
H&N Field Target Trophy 11.42 Gr
527
7.04
.20
Beeman FTS Double Gold 11.42 Gr
463
5.44
.20
H&N Baracuda Match 13.58 gr
527
8.38
.20
H&N Crow Magnum 12.81gr
451
5.79
.20
Beeman Kodiak Extra Heavy 13.27 gr
417
5.13
.20
JSB Exact 13.73 gr
417
5.3
.20
Predator Polymag 13.89 gr
411
5.21
Recommended uses:
Target shooting/backyard plinking
Pest control: crows, snakes, rats.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Made in Germany
Compact and lightweight
High-quality fit and finish
Quiet and accurate
Easy to shoot
Not hold sensitive
Great Rekord trigger
Easy to cock
Great for pest control up to 25 yards
Great gift for introducing your kids to get into shooting sports
One major way to categorize them is through the type of power plant they use.
Some of the most popular power plants for air rifles include CO2, Pre Charged Pneumatics (PCPs), coiled metal springs, Gas pistons (including Nitro Piston), and multi-pump.
For air rifles with coiled metal springs and gas pistons, cocking involves breaking the barrel down, loading the pellet, and then breaking the barrel up.
That act of swinging the barrel on a hinge back and forth is what led them to be called break barrel air rifles.
2. Are break barrel air rifles good?
Break barrel air rifles are some of the most popular air rifles in the shooting world.
They are advantageous over PCPs and CO2 air rifles in more ways than one:
They are fully self-contained – no need for additional cartridges and pumping devices
They are generally budget friendly and easy to operate
They have more recoil, which enhances your shooting skills
They are easy to tweak for improved performance
Break barrels are the easiest air rifles to load since you fully expose the breech when you break down the barrel
By the fact that springers don’t need a separate cocking mechanism, they tend to be lighter than sidelever or underlever airguns
Springers are easier to repair than the other airgun types – their shooting mechanism is less complicated
The ability to break the barrel makes it easy to clean the break barrel airguns
In your effort to make more accurate shots, the break barrel air rifle will help you learn how to hold and use an air rifle properly, more than the PCPs and Co2 airguns can
3. Are break barrel air rifles accurate?
The accuracy of airguns is subjective.
That’s why the accuracy ratings are always accompanied by the range at which the tests were performed.
An airgun may be fairly accurate at 10 yards but quite inaccurate at 100 yards.
That is because other forces like wind drafts and gravity come to play as the pellet moves farther away from the shooter.
So, generally speaking, there are break barrel air rifles with accuracy as high as 1” groupings at 50 yards.
Others surpass this accuracy level, while others come short of it.
To break the barrel is essentially swinging the barrel on its hinge.
This is done for three main reasons:
To load the pellet – usually, you need to swing the barrel on its hinge from the aligned position so as to access the port for loading the pellets
To cock the gun – By swinging back the barrel to its aligned position, you actually compress the metal spring powerplant in readiness for the next shot.
To uncock the gun – You are advised not to leave the gun cocked for long periods of time when not in use.
The metal spring may lose its strength. So break down the barrel before hanging up your gun
5. How to clean a break barrel air rifle?
It is not that necessary to clean the air rifle barrel.
Experience shows that the bore of the barrel is self-cleaning.
Oil from the metal spring can find its way into the barrel bore, and thus attract all forms of dirt.
Lead particles from fast-flying pellets can also be deposited within the bore of the barrel.
However, every pellet shot carries with it some portion of the accumulated dirt.
In the long run, the bore remains fairly clean.
But if you really have to clean it, run a number of clean patches through the bore.
Remember not to use any solvents – lest you damage the bore.
Also, dry the bore when you are done cleaning.
If you intend to store the airgun for long, apply a light film of good gun oil.
Load the specially made felt cleaning pellet and fire the airgun as normal.
You may wish to soak the pellet in your favorite gun cleaning solution.
About 6 pellets are enough to scrub most of the accumulated lead and dirt.
ii) Pull-through method
This entails cleaning the bore of the barrel by inserting a cleaning shaft on the muzzle end of the rifle and then pulling it out.
The patch is usually attached to a long loop to help you pull it out with ease.
Choose the right cleaning patch to match your air rifle caliber.
iii) Using the BoreSnake
This works more or less like the pull-through shaft – only that the entire body of the snake does the cleaning job – as opposed to a shaft on one end of the loop.
As such, you expect the cleaning job to proceed faster due to the large surface area of contact
iv) Using a cleaning rod
Be careful with this method lest you damage the bore.
The rod comes with jags and brushes attached to one of its ends.
This is the end you insert into the rear end of the bore.
Drive the rod until the jag comes out through the muzzle end.
v) Using bore paste
Bore paste contains grinding particles that remove dirt as well as tiny imperfections within the barrel of the bore.
You can use the bore paste with the cleaning rod or pull-through method.
To prevent the rusting of metallic parts of your air rifle, use popular gun oils such as the Ballistol Lube.
The same can as well be used to maintain wooden air rifle stocks – especially if your airgun is frequently exposed to high levels of humidity.
6. Is it necessary to break in your barrel?
The short answer is no!
Breaking in refers to the process of seasoning your brand new break barrel air rifle after purchase.
You see, the bore of the barrel may have tiny burrs and imperfections that are thought to slightly compromise the performance of new airguns.
By shooting good quality pellets on a regular basis, the seasoning happens almost naturally without you even realizing what you are doing.
I guess that works for me, and multitudes of others.
But if you feel philanthropic enough and have the time, inquire with the manufacturer about an appropriate break-in procedure specific to your air rifle model and brand.
Share your findings in the comment section below. We would be glad to know how it went.
7. Best scope for break barrel air rifle?
With break barrel air rifles, you don’t want to simply choose the cheapest scope on the market or any other decent option used with other airgun types like the PCPs.
Two crucial factors make break barrel air rifles different when it comes to the choice of the scope:
The vibrations resulting from the recoil effect with every fired shot – this can damage the scope
The fact that you have to break the barrel down and up with virtually every pellet you fire – this tends to throw the scope out of sight, thus affecting accuracy
With that in mind, the following two are the most popular scopes for break barrel air rifles:
Trinity hunting optics sight scope
Simmons rifle scope
Don’t be tempted to use any firearm scope – justifying yourself that firearms also have huge recoil.
Also, firearm scopes are designed for long-range shooting – and in the real sense, you’ll never use your air rifle to shoot a target more than 100 yards away.
8. Best scope mount for break barrel air rifle?
Most people go for the two-piece scope rings because they are cheaper.
While they do their work most times, the stability may be compromised for the very powerful break barrel air rifles or those with much recoil.
In this case, opt for the single-piece scope mount.
9. Best oil for a break barrel air rifle?
We just mentioned the Ballistol Lube in Question No. 7 above.
It is very popular among air rifle enthusiasts because:
It is fully compatible with all metals
Its alkaline nature helps dissolve corrosive ammo residue
It beautifies air rifle stocks
It prevents air rifle stocks from drying
It never gums up or hardens, no matter how long you store it
It is smokeless
It protects against corrosion
It seals the pores in wooden stocks – thus preventing the absorption of moisture which causes thickening and warping of the stock.
Watch how the legendary Tom Gaylord lubricates his spring-piston airgun:
10. Best bipod for a break barrel air rifle?
For CO2 and PCP air rifles, using a bi-pod is not that complicated.
However, springers complicate the use of bi-pods because of the huge recoil they usually generate.
The recoil pushes the airgun to and fro – thus randomly changing the balance point of the air rifle.
The random nature of the to and fro movements makes it quite hard to find the perfect balance point for optimum accuracy.
I advise you to practice the “artillery hold” until you are comfortable shooting the gun without the use of a bipod.
This fits virtually all air rifles without the need for swivels.
One end slips over the barrel, the other end over the buttpad.
13. Will mounting attachments on a break-barrel barrel affect accuracy?
It depends on where exactly you mount the attachments.
If you are using the Picatinny rails or Weaver mounts, there should be no problem at all.
But for any attachment that mounts directly on the barrel, take care.
One guy attached a Bisley swivel nearly halfway up the barrel.
Every moment he carried the gun, the barrel twisted slightly.
In such a case, the accuracy of the air rifle is definitely affected.
14. How long can you leave a break barrel air gun cocked?
Numbers don’t lie. Although I haven’t tried it personally, the well known Tom Gaylord cocked these springs for one whole month – or if you like, 735 hours
R1 spring
Beeman laser spring
Venom spring
Maccari custom spring
The Beeman laser spring was the most affected, though it lost only 6.75 % of its power.
That means if the initial muzzle energy was 20 FPE, the new muzzle energy would be 18.65 FPE.
In my assessment, that is not as much loss as usually portrayed by many break barrel air gunners.
So feel free to leave your gun cocked for an hour or two as you wait for that perfect shot.
15. Does leaving an air rifle cocked weaken the spring?
It depends on the quality of the spring and the duration you leave it cocked.
R1 spring – Lost 6.11% of its strength – slightly bent
Beeman laser spring – Lost 6.75 % of its strength – perfectly straight
Venom spring – Lost 3.07% of its strength – was slightly bent – started vibrating
Maccari custom spring – Lost 5.35% of its strength – perfectly straight
I suggest you do a similar experiment with some Chinese springs and share the findings.
16. How long can you leave a nitro piston pellet gun cocked?
Oh, forever! Without the slightest thought of Spring fatigue either.
That is one big advantage of the nitro piston over the coiled metal springs.
17. Can you dry fire a break barrel air rifle?
Yes, you can.
Sometimes it happens accidentally – then you have no control.
But sometimes you can do it out of curiosity – as The Dollar Sportsman did back in 2019.
The guy performed accuracy tests with his GAMO Raptor Whisper and obtained fairly tight groupings.
After dry-firing the air rifle 50 times, he did the second accuracy test.
You’d be surprised that the accuracy was as great as it was at first.
As a matter of fact, the Gamo airguns manufacturer states on their website that their rifles are designed to dry fire 10,000 times with no issue at all.
But for safety’s sake, don’t assume your airgun is a Gamo. Get the facts first.
18. Can you shoot BBs in a break barrel pellet gun?
Yes, that’s possible – but the issue is, what happens after you shoot the BB?
If the BB is the same caliber as the pellets, the shot will proceed as normal, though the BB may jet out with a “squirreling” motion.
If the BB caliber is smaller than the bore, there is some likelihood of it damaging the internal mechanisms of the air rifle.
It may even fail to come out through the muzzle, leaving you with the additional headache of dislodging it.
In this Penn Conflict II Spinning Reel Review, we’re presenting one of the lightest weight spinning reels ever to hit the market from Penn.
This reel was released in 2017, and it is available in the 1000-5000 range. The Conflict II is ideal for lightweight anglers looking for a high performing freeshwater reel. This is the lightest reel in the Penn family, and when you stack it up against some of the previous reels from Penn, there is no comparison.
If you enjoyed the Conflict spinning reels before, you’d love this one because of it’s lightweight and durable design. The reel looks great, and it features a super smooth and strong HT-100 drag system. Along with that, they pair in a wide assortment of other features that are unique to this reel, and we’re going to dish them out for you.
A solid choice in the medium priced spinning reel category
Proven HT-100 carbon fiber drag system
Solid reel that is not to heavy
Very durable anodized body
The Penn Conflict II is a solid choice and is available HERE.
The Penn Conflict II has a smooth HT-100 carbon fiber drag system that has been proven in many other Penn models such as the famous Penn Battle II and the much more expensive Penn Clash
The Conflict II is the lightest reel from Penn to this day, and there are a few different reasons for that.
First, you have the RR30 Rigid Resin body and rotor that make up a majority of the weight. This material is incredibly lightweight and durable. It’s even 20% lighter than the original Conflict. If you felt that the first-generation was a little bulky or too heavy, you’ll love the weight and feel of the newer Penn Conflict II.
If we take you inside the reel, you’ll find Penn’s CNC gears using a 7+1 stainless steel ball-bearing system with an aluminum pinion and main gear. These reels offer the ultimate in lightweight inshore fishing while still providing resistance to saltwater.
You also get the Conflict Superline Spool which takes mono backing out of the equation due to a rubber gasket that keeps the line from slipping on the spool. In many reels you will need to use mono to go from the spool to the braid line as braid has a tendency to slip on the spool, this solves this problem.
Something else that really separates the Conflict II from the original model and most other reels for that matter is the lightweight braid Leveline System. The reel provides a slow oscillation system which ensures that your line lays evenly on the spool.
This feature also prevents friction on the line, and the result is one of the longest casting spinning reels on the market today. With this feature, they recommend using a lightweight braided line only for the Conflict II.
Features
Rigid Resin RR30 Techno-balanced rotor – Penn is able to dramatically reduce the weight of this reel compared to the original Conflict primarily due to the design of the body. Using their RR30 Rigid Resin, they lower the overall weight of the reel by 20% which makes this the lightest Penn reel on the market today. Along with weight reduction, the Rigid Resin is also durable and long-lasting.
CNC Gear Technology – They continue to impress with their CNC crafted aluminum pinion and main gear found on the 1000-4000 sizes. The Penn Conflict II 5000 features a brass pinion and aluminum CNC machined main gears.
These are durable and paired alongside high-quality stainless steel ball bearings. Put it all together, and you have a great inshore reel worthy of large trout, redfish, and even sea bass.
HT-100 carbon fiber drag washers – The carbon fiber drag system is the epitome of smooth even when battling larger fish. Having the HT-100 Versa drag washers in the spool allows Penn to use both sides of each washer providing the angler with higher max drags, improved range, and smoother start-ups when stacked up against the original Penn. These washers receive a coating of Penns proprietary grease for longevity.
Heavy-duty aluminum bail wire – The thick aluminum bail wire is durable and long-lasting. It perfectly rounds out an already strong reel.
Superline spool – Another feature that is unique to the Conflict II is the Superline Spool. This design eliminates the need for backing because of the rubber gasket that keeps your line from slipping on the spool. The end result is improved line capacity and a smooth retrieval and cast.
Leveline system – In addition to the superline spool, you also get the Leveline system. The feature differs from the original model by providing anglers with a slower oscillation to improve the way your line lays on the spool. The line creates less friction this way and provides you with a longer cast. Penn states that the Conflict II is the longest casting spinning reel on the market.
Features at a Glance
Rigid Resin RR30 Techno-balanced rotor
CNC Gear Technology
HT-100 carbon fiber drag washers
Heavy-duty aluminum bail wire
Superline spool
Line capacity rings
The Penn Conflict II comes in six different sizes starting with the 1000 series and working it’s way up to a 5000 series. They don’t have a 6000 or anything higher, and that is why they primarily recommend this reel for inshore fishing only.
For the 1000 model, you get a max drag of 9 pounds and a gear ratio of 5.2:1. The reel weighs in at a measly 6.3 ounces, and it has a braided cap of 160/6, 130/8, and 110/10. You’d want to pair this reel with an ultralight rod like the St. Croix Trout Freshwater spinning rod or the St. Croix Mojo Inshore for inshore fishing.
Next, we have a 2000 model which has a max drag of 10 pounds, and it weighs in around 7.4 ounces. You’ll get a braided cap of 210/8, 180/10, and 165/15. For this reel, it comes with a gear ratio of 6.2:1. You’ll still want to pair this reel up with a lightweight, fast action rod to give you the most pop and the greatest level of sensitivity.
For the 2500 model, you have a max drag of 12 pounds, a gear ratio of 6.2:1, and a reel that weighs just below 8 ounces at 7.9. With a 10 pound braid, you’ll get 240 yards of line, and I’ve had much success pairing this reel with the St. Croix Mojo Inshore.
Something incredibly impressive and it speaks volumes for this reel is stacking the previous Conflict up against the Conflict II. The same 2500 model that offers the same max drag and line capacity weighs two ounces more. The Conflict I 2500 weighs 9.8 ounces. As you get up in the models into the 4000 range, the weight of the reel becomes significant but not with the Conflict II.
Even at the 4000 mark for the Conflict II the reel still weighs less than the Conflict 2500. When they say that they took steps to reduce the weight of their premium reels, they were not kidding.
For those of you who want all the details I have provided the chart below.
Over the years, I’ve leaned more and more about my lighter tackle gear. I’ve had a lot of success with reels like the Shimano NASCI 1000 and the Daiwa Fuego LT. I was incredibly excited when I saw that Penn was going to design a reel to replicate the original but at a fraction of the weight.
When I think of Penn reels I think “heavy” and now there is a model that I do not have to feel that way about.
For inshore fishing, I prefer to fish for trout, redfish and flounder. I’m somewhat young, but even I have fond memories of fishing trips with rods and reels that looked like my dad dug them out of a cave man’s chest. With the incredible growth in technology, manufacturers are able to make reels much lighter while actually making them stronger as well.
The Penn Conflict II is a reel that maximizes the amount of strength and durability it provides. It doesn’t compromise your comfort and enjoyment with a big bulky and uncomfortable reel that feels like you have been fishing it all day even though you just got on the water.
I favor a 10 to 15 pound braided Berkley Fireline with whatever live bait I can get my hands on. It might be more of a pain, but it pays off in the long run for me: the trout and redfish hammer finger mullet and eels like crazy around the waterways of South Carolina.
Pros
20% lighter than the previous Conflict
One of the bestter inshore reels on the market
Leveline system maximizes casting distance
Proven HT-100 drag system
Cons
Bland appearance; nothing flashy
Not the lightest in its class for the price
Alternatives
If you’re still looking for some different options, we’ve got them. Sticking with Penn, we’ll look at the Penn Battle II. This reel is going to save you some money, but you’re going to pay for it in the weight of the reel. Each reel model weighs about two ounces more with the Penn Battle II. Read the complete Penn Battle II Review HERE.
Next, we have the Penn Clash. If we were comparing the Clash with the original Penn Conflict, we’d have to give it to the Clash. The whole theme of this review is weight, and even though the Penn Clash is more expensive than the Conflict II, it still weighs more by about an ounce.
With the Clash, you might see a slight improvement in smoothness during the retrieval due to an extra bearing, and you also get the leveline oscillation system and CNC gear technology. Read the complete Penn Clash Review HERE.
If you’re looking to go more affordable with your reel, you could opt for the Daiwa Fuego LT. You can get this reel for under $100, and the weight is even less that the Conlict II. The Daiwa Fuego LT is smooth and offers plenty of corrosion resistance and waterproofing features such as the Mag sealing making it one of our favorite reels. Read the full Daiwa Fuego LT review HERE.
Rolling along we’re going to hit you with a reel that is as light as the Penn Conflict II, and it’s more affordable. So what’s the catch? It’s an Okuma. The Okuma Helios SX is a good quality lightweight reel with a carbon fiber drag, eight corrosion-resistant bearings, and a lightweight carbon frame.
For the price, it’s hard to go wrong, but it doesn’t have the durability and presence of a Penn reel. For the complete Okuma Helios SX, review CLICK HERE.
The last comparison we have is the Shimano Stradic FK. This spinning reel is one of the best inshore reels priced below $200, and it competes with the Penn Conflict II in the weight department. It cost a little more than the Penn Conflict II but for you Shimano fan biys and fan girls its a great reel. For the complete Shimano Stradic FK, review CLICK HERE.
In Conclusion
Overall, the Penn Conflict II is a serious step up from the previous reel. They’ve taken all of their best models and combined it into one to make this reel. While doing that they’ve also incorporated a lot of new technology and features that make this one of the best inshore spinning reels available on the market today in this medium price point.
When it comes to rifle scopes, there are two options: an MOA-based or MIL-based scope. Both options are based on their own set of mathematics, and if you have no prior knowledge, you may be wondering which choice is ideal for you. Because both systems have distinct advantages and limitations, this article will help you decide which one you need to choose.
MIL is an abbreviation for “milliradians” or “mils”. These scopes communicate ranging in meters and centimeters. They are most commonly used among law enforcement and military personnel.
When looking through a MIL scope you’ll see crosshairs as well as dots. The gap between these dots reflects a height of 10 centimeters or 3.6 inches on your target at 100 yards, which is a normal distance for sighting in a hunting rifle. The representative distance between your MIL-dots changes as the distance to your target grows or reduces
What Are MOA Reticles?
Credit: MidwayUSA
MOA or “minute of angle” is an angular measurement within a circle. It is similar to a MIL scope in appearance but differs in size, with MIL being the bigger of the two. Additionally, MOA is a little easier to grasp than MIL.
Like a MIL scope, you will be able to see crosshairs as well as lines or dots through an MOA scope. Using the earlier 100-yard scenario, the space between these dots corresponds to a height of 1.047 inches. Because 1.047 inches is so close to one inch, it is typically rounded down. Therefore, one MOA is equivalent to one inch at 100 yards.
MIL vs MOA Scopes: What’s the Difference?
Credit: Envato Elements/ FabrikaPhoto
Although MOA and MIL dot scopes look similar, there are a few differences that distinguish them:
An MOA reticle scope is more accurate than a MIL dot scope.
A MIL reticle is larger than an MOA scope.
MOA adjustments are easier to adjust since they use yards and inches rather than centimeters and meters.
Which One Should You Choose?
Credit: Envato Elements/ byrdyak
When comparing MIL against MOA, neither MIL nor MOA has an edge. Both are angular measurements. The best one for you is determined by your knowledge and comfort level with the system.
However, if you are unfamiliar with scopes, here are two variables that will help you make a decision:
If you’re used to thinking in inches and yards and have expertise in MOA, you might want to stick with it. However, if you are familiar with the metric system or are starting from scratch and do not have MOA expertise, you may want to use MIL scopes.
One option to explore for MIL scopes is the Hawke Vantage Riflescope, while for MOA scopes, the Vortex Optics Red Dot Sight is a noteworthy consideration.
Another thing to think about is what unit your competitors or friends will be using. When a competitor gets off the line, you should be able to communicate and understand what he is saying.
How to Zero Your Scope Using an MOA Reticle or MIL Dot
If you’re new to zeroing a scope reticle, here are a few steps to get you started:
1) Set Your Target
Credit: Envato Elements/ MargJohnsonVA
Begin by selecting an appropriate target like those from EasyShot. These targets are ideal for range practice or dry firing.
Once you have your target, set it on a solid stand 100 yards away from the shooting station. When it comes to your shooting station, ensure that your rifle is properly supported so that you can fire repeatedly.
2) Begin With the First Shot Group
Credit: Envato Elements/ StudioPeace
To zero your scope, start by firing three-shot groups. Set your scope’s crosshairs to the center of the aiming spot and take three shots.
3) Calculate the Corrections
Credit: Envato Elements/ Vailery
Examine the point of impact of your shot. This will determine how much you need to adjust your scope. Estimate the middle of the shots on the target and utilize that position for corrections. The relative center of the shot group shows the average impact point of the shots.
4) Shoot Three More Times at the Same Target
Credit: Envato Elements/ StudioPeace
Hold the sight reticle at the same shooting position as the first round and release three more shots. This shot should hit the target. You may need to make some little tweaks to get your fire cluster precisely where you’d like them. Carefully calculate the necessary modifications.
5) Check Your Settings and Adjust the Aiming Point
Credit: Envato Elements/ orcearo
Move your target and discharge three more shots once you’re pleased with your sight settings. Because you’ll need to reposition your rifle and scope, this will immediately inform you if your sight settings are precise and reliable.
Summary
An MOA and MIL dot reticle is best used for long-range shooting. When choosing between the two, keep your goals in mind. A skilled marksman can make the most of any rifle scope. After all, the greatest precision comes from time behind the trigger, not from reading reviews.
Introducing the power-packed .20 caliber air rifle pellets, designed to revolutionize your shooting experience. With superior accuracy and exceptional velocity, these pellets deliver maximum impact on targets. Ideal for hunting, target practice, or competitive shooting, embrace precision and performance with our top-notch .20 caliber air rifle pellets.
.20 caliber air rifle pellets
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One of the main benefits of.20 caliber air rifle pellets is their superior accuracy. The smaller size of these pellets allows for tighter groupings and increased precision, making them ideal for target shooting or small game hunting. Additionally, the reduced weight of.20 caliber pellets results in less wind drift, further enhancing their accuracy even at longer distances.
Another advantage of.20 caliber air rifle pellets is their versatility. They can be used for a variety of purposes including target shooting, pest control, and small game hunting. The kinetic energy delivered by these pellets is sufficient to take down pests such as rodents or birds while still being safe enough for backyard plinking or target practice.
In conclusion,.20 caliber air rifle pellets offer a promising option for enthusiasts seeking accuracy and precision in their shooting activities. With their smaller size, these pellets provide higher velocities and improved long-range performance. Additionally, they offer reduced noise levels and are suitable for various shooting applications, making them a popular choice among experienced shooters.
If reading ain’t your thing you can check out the video version of this article here!
Coyotes have a knack for getting up and running off after what appeared to be a solid impact. Practice on the trigger is the best remedy for this issue, but using the right target goes a long way to extend the value of your time at the range and ammo expended.
That’s why I collaborated with South Dakota’s veteran coyote killer, Ken Nordstrom, when we created our new . These reactive, full-size coyote silhouette targets show you exactly what you’re doing right at the range, and more importantly, what you may be doing wrong. Because they’re anatomically correct, these new targets not only help you increase your accuracy through practice, but they quickly show you whether or not your aiming method works at various ranges. I am thoroughly convinced that they’re the best steel coyote targets on the market.
Before the introduction of these new targets, our coyote targets measure 12×24 inches, simply because that’s what fit in a Postal Service Flat Rate Box. Ken, quick to see the value in a life size target, offered us a great deal of information he’s gathered over his 40 years spent hunting coyotes.
“My brother Steve and I started coyote hunting in the 80s, and eventually got into tournament hunting,” said Nordstrom. “We’ve placed 7th in the Midwest Coyote Calling Tournament and 12th in the National Coyote Calling Tournament. Over the years, we realized that if we failed to retrieve a coyote that we’d shot, it was because we weren’t taking into account just how small their vital zone is.”
Nordstrom explains that because of the small size, speed, tenacity and color of a coyote, if they’re not stone dead upon impact, they’re generally never recovered, so it’s extremely critical to hit them in the vitals. Beyond that, there’s a great deal more fur on winter coyotes than most hunters are aware of. For those simply looking to control predators, a gut shot or a neck shot is likely to take the animal out of the gene pool, but for hunters looking to harvest hides or compete, coyotes need to fall in their tracks.
Let’s get lethal
“As soon as we wised up to this issue, Steve and I started measuring every coyote we killed,” explained Nordstrom. “We measured them with fur on and fur off. Taking the dimensions we collected over the years – literally thousands of dogs – we determined the average size of an adult coyote. We even went one step beyond that. We recorded where the instantly fatal impact occurred on the body of the coyote.”
The numbers told an interesting story. 18 inches seemed to be a magical number. Coyotes, on average, measure 18 inches from the point of the shoulder to the back of the rump. From the bottom of the chest to the top of the ears when the dog is looking at you is also 18 inches. Do you want to take a guess what the height of an average coyote is from the ground to the shoulder? If you guessed 18 inches, you’d be correct. Sometimes 20 inches, if it’s a mature male in full winter plume, but close enough.
So there are three ways to measure a coyote, all of which yields about 18 inches. Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, before the fancy laser rangefinders we have today, that was extremely important. It’s still important today, especially in situations when a dog is coming into a call quickly, or if you have coyotes at different ranges and you don’t have time to use a rangefinder. It’s also great if you’re hunting with a thermal without an integrated range finder. Knowing the size of a coyote allows you to use your riflescope’s reticle to range the animal, or at the very least, helps you estimate distances simply by becoming acquainted with how big a coyote looks in your scope at a given range.
But here’s the catch; when looking at a broadside coyote, a good winter coyote is going to have about 11 inches of fur and non-vital impact zone, split between the top of his back and hanging down below his ribcage. When you skin out the coyote, you’ll find that you really only have about 7 inches of vertical kill zone behind his shoulder. The width, or horizontal measurement of that kill zone is roughly the same, 7 inches. These animals look big with their fur on, but once you skin them and see how small the margin of error is on an adult coyote, it’s easy to see how so many hunters lose coyotes every year.
With Ken’s help, I these numbers to steel. The new coyote targets, and the reactive steel flappers, are extremely true to the shape and size of an adult coyote. You’ll notice that, when looking at the broadside target, the flapper is not located center-of-mass. That’s because, on a live coyote, there’s more fur below the kill zone than above it.
The same holds true with a coyote facing the hunter; there’s more fur and non-vital area facing you than there is kill zone. The kill zone on a front-facing coyote is between 3 and 3.5 inches. A dog that takes a bullet in the shoulder can run off on three legs. The neck, even though it looks like a good target, measures only 2 to 2.5 inches in width, and even less of that is spine. Ken has even seen coyotes take a round through the windpipe, only to jump up and run off a few seconds later. The arteries or the backbone are the only vital components in the neck. As a result, our front-facing coyote target features a realistic vital zone-sized flapper and discounts the neck.
Setting up the rifle
There are a lot of different approaches to setting up a coyote rifle, but Ken prefers a method he’s used for many years. Knowing the drop on his 22 Creedmoor, he zeroes his rifle an inch and a half high at 100 yards.
“I do this because if a coyote comes in quickly, head on, and I know that the center of the vital zone is about three inches above the ‘armpit,’ I can put the crosshair right on his armpit, the bullet will impact inside the vital zone at 100 yards. At the same time, if I have a broadside coyote at roughly 300 yards, I can just put the crosshair on the center of fur behind the shoulder and I’ll make a good vital zone shot.”
Simply put, Ken finds that a 1.5 inch high zero at 100 yards is the most practical scope setting for the coyote hunting he does most often.
Target testing
Ken’s first experience shooting at the newly designed targets quickly showed the value of the anatomically correct silhouettes and vital zone flappers. His first shot, at 140 yards, impacted the vital zone flapper of the broadside coyote target, though just a touch high. Dead coyote.
His second shot at the same range was on the forward-facing coyote target. Impact landed on the vital zone flapper. Dead coyote.
His third shot, at 214 yards, was on a broadside coyote target. His impact was on steel but below the vital zone. It became clear that the bullet likely would have touched nothing but fur. Ken thinks he pulled the shot. Live coyote, and one that won’t come back to the call for a very long time.
His fourth shot, on a broadside coyote standing at 300, was a dead center impact of the vital zone flapper. Dead coyote.
Field application
Ken had an opportunity to try his zero and aiming method on an anatomically correct, reactive target that showed how accurate his entire setup was. The beauty of the new is that A) you can practice on life size targets to become better acquainted with how a real coyote looks in your scope at a given range and B) no matter your zero and aiming method, the target doesn’t lie. Whether your round impacts the vital zone or not is blatantly obvious.
Trail cameras are great tools for wildlife observers, photographers, and hunters. It allows you to view animals in their natural habitat and from a safe distance. Unfortunately, trail cameras are often an easy target for thieves. How to keep your trail camera from being stolen?
To prevent theft of your trail camera: Place it in a high and obscure location, around foilage, and out of direct sunlight. You should also consider a trail camera cable lock so a thief won’t be able to steal it. Also, avoid visible flashes and use a decoy camera to prevent theft.
There is a possibility that someone will steal your trail camera.
Here are 9 ways to keep your trail camera from being stolen. Learn how to prevent trail camera theft.
Here are a set of tips and tricks to prevent theft of your wildlife camera.
While each tip is good, consider using many of them together for the best results.
Let’s get started!
1. Hiding Your Trail Camera
Disguising your trail camera can go a long way. It isn’t a waste of time or money. And you’ll retain your footage.
There are multiple ways you can do this action, including camouflaging it within the foliage of its surroundings. The use of branches and leaves makes your camera harder to see. You might also buy fake foliage since real leaves will die over time.
You could hide your trail camera in a tree stump or a nesting box to make it seem natural. Get creative so you can discover multiple ways of hiding your trail camera. You can also hide your device with the following methods.
Keep Camera Out of Direct Sunlight: This goes a long way in keeping your camera hidden. Compare the following photo with the feature photo of this article.
The first one glows and can’t be missed. And the following photo keeps the camera in the shade and much less visible.
2. Place in Low-Traffic Areas
Placing your trail camera in low-traffic areas is another useful tip when hiding the device.
Putting it in a remote area, choosing sections of woods where people do not typically go.
Easily accessible trails are the last place you want to place your camera, so find a spot difficult to access. The trail less traveled will be suitable in this instance.
3. Mount Your Camera Out of Reach
Mounting your trail camera in a place that is hard to reach is a great way to prevent theft.
Most thefts are crimes of convenience. Mounting it out of reach (especially with a ladder) means it will be hard for a thief to grab and go with your camera.
And a high vantage point means thieves could potentially harm themselves when climbing up a sketchy tree. It is also less likely to be seen by walkers.
Spotting a camera in a high place would take some effort, making this step one of the most ideal methods. It might be a hassle to mount your wildlife cam out of reach, but might be worth the effort.
4. Do Not Use Cameras That Flash
We recommend that you use cameras that do not flash during the nighttime. Cameras flash at night to get a better picture, but the light is a dead giveaway for a thief.
Even if you hid your camera nicely, the flash will reveal its placement and entice a thief to do what thieves do.
Your camera might be safe throughout the day, but once the night comes it’ll be like a lighthouse – visible from all around. The passerby could either steal your camera or break it, which is why a camera that does not flash is great.
Look for trail cameras with night vision and passive infrared (PIR).
5. Set Up a Decoy Camera
Another method of preventing your trail camera from being stolen or broken is by setting up a decoy camera. Place a camera that does not work in a spot that someone can easily notice.
The fake device can draw would-be thieves from noticing the real camera hidden away.
You can even place the decoy in the view of the real camera to catch the thief. This clever action will kill two birds with one stone, revealing the thief’s identity and spotting animals in their natural habitat.
6. Use Cellular Cameras as Surveillance
A cellular camera is perfect for surveillance. Linking it to your mobile will constantly send trail camera images to your phone. So, you wildlife observers can enjoy the beauty of nature in all its gloriousness in real time.
You could also catch the thief in the act if you decide to use a cellular camera.
Keep in mind that these cameras cost more to purchase. And because your phone is steadily receiving images, you will have data costs.
7. Label Your Trail Camera
Adding identification is an obvious thing to do, but labeling your camera can be helpful when on the look for it. Simply marking your name and contact information on your trail camera will prove helpful if it gets lost or stolen.
After stealing a camera, the thief’s first stop might be a pawnshop. But with your name etched into the trail camera, the buyer could realize the seller stole it. They will then contact you and return it, saving you from purchasing another trail camera.
8. Use Social Media for Help
If your trail camera has been stolen, you can use social media. Social media can be helpful when tracking things down. Labeling your trail camera, as previously stated, would make it easier to track down.
The hunter community can help you with this process. You might post images of the thief (taken with steps 5 and 6) and see if it might be tracked down. You could also make a deal for the thief to return your trail camera. And you can share these photos and video clips with police to report the theft.
9. Cable Locks
Trail camera cable locks are a great way to keep your camera secured. You should still use the other steps in this guide – especially hiding your trail camera. But trail camera cable locks can help ensure that it doesn’t get stolen if spotted.
Cable locks have a locking mechanism that will secure positions that are up to six feet.
Your camera will remain secure, even if someone spots it along their walk. The only way to unlock the cable lock is with a key, so the security should leave you relieved when you set it up.
Check out the lock systems below to see where to start.
Here’s how to use a trail camera for security.
More reading: Do trail cameras scare deer?
3 Trail Camera Cable Lock
The following systems will ensure your trail camera remains secure from thieves.
1. Master Lock Python
The Master Lock Python is available in up to twenty-four packs, and each is keyed the same. A thief will not be able to easily cut the camouflaged cable since it is cut-resistant.
The cable lock will survive harsh weather with its strong aluminum alloy lock, cylinder shutter, and vinyl-coated cable.
These features, along with the remaining cable locks, are excellent solutions to keep your valuables safe.
2. Browning Trail Camera Security Box
The Trail Camera Security Box is the next best thing to having a secure trail camera. The 16 gauge steel will protect your camera from damage and theft.
With its powder coating, you will not have to worry about it rotting.
The Browning has two locking channels for python cables and will accommodate a padlock up to 3/8″ in diameter.
3. Cam Guardian Tree Mount Holder
This trail camera attachment is another option for solving your problem. The Cam Guardian will not only mount your trail camera in a high spot but will also keep it locked, in case it becomes discovered.
You will no longer have to worry about damaged or frozen keys. Cam Guardian is also the most useful lock mechanism out of the bunch.
Looking for the best options? Here are the 13 Best Trail Cameras for Wildlife Photography.
Game cameras are popular among game photographers and hunters. They allow you to see what the animals are doing without having to be there in person.
The motion detection shoots only when there is wildlife. PIR delay on game cameras is an important feature.
More reading: How to Hide a Trail Camera from Humans
Your Turn
What tips are you going to use to keep your trail camera from being stolen? Let me know below!
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