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Are you shooting too low?

Are you struggling to see your sights at night?

Can you switch out the sights that came with the handgun?

In general, factory sights tend to leave a shooter wanting. It’s customary for stock sights to simply serve as fillers intended to be replaced. Aftermarket pistol iron sights can make a big difference to accuracy, sight and target acquisition, and overall performance.

But what sights are right for you and how are they different?

To pull together this list of the best pistol iron sights, I included a few that I own on various handguns to compare cost, usability, accuracy, and installation. From an owner’s hands-on experience, these pistol sights offer affordability and quality to match or outdo their price points.

Top Pistol Iron Sights for 2024

Open sights have a rear sight with a window, notch, gap to view the front sight mounted forward on a firearm. This is the sighting system in and of itself. Going forward, open sights will be referred to as iron sights for simplicity’s sake.

Iron sights, open sights – semantics. Really though, open sights are under the iron sight category as iron sights is a catch-all for sighting systems, including aperture sights, that use the naked eye to form a direct line of aim to the target.

Most pistols purchased today come installed with sights. Though some are better quality than others, plastic fillers or basic factory sights are the standard. They do little to improve accuracy or sight visibility and may be why a replacement set is needed.

While this round-up gathers some of the most popular pistol iron sights including my very own aftermarket handgun sights – which I have high opinions of – it’s not all-inclusive. Other things must be considered such as your particular firearm, use with a red dot or suppressor, and of course, heights to ensure the POA matches the POI.

So, here’s a handful of the top handgun iron sights to muse over to help you get started on your sight replacement journey!

7 Best Pistol Iron Sight Reviews

1. TruGlo Tritium Night Sights – Best Budget & Best Night Sights

The TruGlo Tritium Night Sights are some of the most popular night sights in the market. This was a large factor in why I personally purchased four sets for my Glocks. Obviously, affordability played a big role, and from my hands-on experience, they’ve been a value buy with big performance.

Pros:

• Price
• Tritium night sights
• Low profile – no holster snagging
• Easy to install on Glocks
• Multiple applications

Cons:

• Same color dots

I bought these earlier in the year and installed them myself with a sight pusher and hex tool that I bought separately online. The sight pusher was easy to use and to see the sights are lined up correctly from the get-go. Overall installation process is easily a 5/5 rating considering that they’ve not come loose, it wasn’t difficult at all, and I haven’t had to make any adjustments.

Now all my Glocks came with factory sights, and I’ll admit there was a small transition that I noticed adjusting from the U-notch to the square when aligning the dots, and I was accustomed to using the 6 o’clock hold sight picture. However, it’s been a relatively rapid process in overcoming it.

With the Truglos, I put rounds down at 15 and 25 yards with 5-shot groups in the combat sight picture. I was a little slower at 25 yards, and obviously at 15, it’s a lot easier to be consistent and send down round after round. With the factory sights, I was using the 6 o’clock hold, and with the Truglos, I’m shooting with the combat sight picture.

Every one of these Glocks has an OWB holster, and the design has not interfered at all. The glowing tritium lamps are way brighter in person than can be seen in the pics. Would I buy these again? Yes!

2. Trijicon HD XR – Best Glock Night Sights

For non-MOS Glock pistols, the Trijicon HD XR Night Sights serve for fast target acquisition with highly visible night sights. For Glocks 17, 17L, 19, 22, 23-28, 31-35, 37-39, and 45, the HD XRs are a highly popular upgrade from factory Glock sights.

Pros:

• Tritium night sights
• Highly visible painted front dot
• Thin front sight
• LEO & competition
• For non-MOS Glocks

Cons:

• Price

If you’re buying the set, you could be out almost a couple hundred dollars, but you can find them for more than 25-33% off in most cases. In my opinion, that would be a better price that I could justify over full retail cost. It’s worth remembering that they’re Trijicon quality that come with a 12-year warranty on the tritium lamps (from date of manufacture).

I really like the high-visible painted ring around the tritium lamp for fast sight focus. The paint is a photoluminescent (glow-in-the-dark) ring that is a trademark of the HD series. I think combined with the black-out performance of the rear sight during the day but glowing performance at night, its usability makes them operationally ready regardless of the conditions.

The front blade has a 0.122” width. Combined with the 0.169” rear U-notch width, it provides improved target acquisition, more FOV, and long-distance precision. It’s also steeply hooked meaning that if you’re in a rush and a one-hand rack is it, the front sight will catch for a fast first-in-chamber load.

If you’re sporting a Glock MOS, you’ll want the HD XR MOS sights for that longer fit on the rear of the slide. However, they’re stock height, so they won’t co-witness with a RDS if you’re sporting one.

Excellent for the needs of competition shooting and law enforcement, these night sights for Glock will also serve for carry firearms as a home and self-defense sighting system.

3. Truglo Fiber Optic Sights – Best Fiber Optic

The Truglo Fiber Optic Sights are regularly mistaken for night sights. They’re day-use sights with the fiber portions recessed into the sight well for concealment. They will be harder to see and dim in low light, but as fiber optic sights, they’re intended for daytime applications.

Pros:

• Price
• Fiber optic
• Contrasting dot colors
• For Glock (non-MOS)
• Snag-free design

Cons:

• Not good for lowlight

If you’re looking for a budget pair to upgrade stock plastic sights (fillers) on your Glock, Truglo’s fiber optic fits the bill. The best fiber optic sights provide dot visibility in daylight conditions.

As such, poor performance in shadows, lowlight, and dark conditions is to be expected – they are not night sights, so I’d say these are best for use in normal conditions.

Why they stand out to me as value pistol sights are that they’re well-made for the price point. They’re made from solid steel and have a treated Fortress Finish to protect the surface. Even though they’re not adjustable, they’re accurate enough.

With the right tools, they’re very easy to install and but it’s recommended to be installed by a trained gunsmith – per Truglo’s warranty. Obviously, there is a warranty but there are several conditions such as, it applies only to the original purchaser and proof of purchase is required.

I prefer contrasting features, and as these fiber optic sights reflect, the rear dots are green while the front sight is a contrasting red. I wouldn’t say they’re “daylight bright” but that is true of most red dot sights too.

With all that said, I recommended the Truglo fiber optic sights for target shooting and training.

3. AmeriGlo Optic Compatible Tall Suppressor Sights (GL-429) – Best Glock Black Out Sights

The best blacked-out Glock sights to pair with a red dot sight would be AmeriGlo’s optic compatible suppressor height irons. Though low in cost, they offer black-on-black simplicity for eliminating distractions through a pistol mounted red dot.

Pros:

• Price
• Suppressor height
• Blacked-out sights
• Glock compatible (except G42/43)
• Serrated front sight

Cons:

• Finish wear-and-tear

The AmeriGlo serrated sights I field-tested are similar and comparable to these Tall Suppressor sights though not the exact same pair. While they’ve been excellent for duty use thus far out to 25 yards, this Glock 17 Gen 5 was recently outfitted with the Holosun HE509T red dot sight.

The rear has a U-notch, and they’re slightly shorter making for a very low, I’d say, lower ¼ co-witness on the MOS slide with an adapter plate and 0.59” optical RDS height.

In my opinion, the recommended black-out sights would be a better replacement as they’re tall suppressor height sights and co-witnesses in the lower 1/3 with Trijicon RMR red dots. Heights are 0.315” for the very thin front blade and 0.394” for the rear.

Though both sights have neither tritium nor fiber optics, they’re steel with a matte black finish. This has been particularly beneficial as they don’t distract from a functioning pistol mounted RDS, like how it is used right now, or for those who use NODS with that RDS.

The finish is barely starting to wear at the angles after more than a year on my irons, and that can happen. Other than that, they’ve been excellent for target shooting, patrol/duty, and use with a red dot. AmeriGlo sights are made in USA starting with US steel blocks all the way to assembly.

5. Meprolight Mepro Tru-Dot Night Sights – Best Handgun Sights for Old Eyes

In general, aging eyes are having a hard time with front sight focusing and dot visibility in poor light conditions. A possible solution is to consider the Meprolight Mepro Tru-Dot Night Sights with a green front sight filled with tritium for low light and dark conditions.

Pros:

• Tritium night sights
• Contrasting dot colors
• Alloy steel
• For Glock (non-MOS)
• 12-year tritium guarantee

Cons:

• Not highly visible in the day

If older eyes are struggling in those lowlight and dark hours, night sights will help with dot visibility. I really like that these Meprolight sights will help with visual acuity because of the green on orange configuration, making them great pistol sights for old eyes.

The front sight has green tritium that allows for easier and brighter dot identification than other colors. The rear sight has orange tritium, and the contrast will ensure the front sight stands out.

The catch with tritium is that they don’t glow during the day. To help with dot visibility during daylight conditions, a white ring is painted around the tritium vials. In my opinion along with some buyers, they’re not as useful in these conditions and this would be true especially for those with bad eyes.

I know that the Mepro sights will fit Glock models except for MOS slides. They’re made from alloy steel. The tritium vials come with a manufacturer guarantee for 12 years which I think is fantastic as it’s on par with Trijicon’s tritium guarantee. The front sight blade is 0.17” in height and 0.16” in width. The rear sight blade is 0.19” in height.

Though older eyes might benefit from sights that offer both fiber optic and tritium dots, they’re more expensive. When you’re in the market for night sights, your eyes might need a little help from the green-on-orange configuration.

Available at: Amazon

6. Sig Sauer X-RAY3 – Best Night Sights for Sig

The X-RAY3 day and night sights are configured for Sig Sauer firearms. Though they’re included as the standard sights on the P229 and Legion series pistols, they’ll also fit the P-series 225, 227, 220, 226, 238, 938, and 320.

Pros:

• Day/night sights
• 3-dot alignment
• Fluorescent polymer & tritium
• Suppressor height
• For Sig P series

Cons:

• Dead tritium dots

I don’t have any performance complaints with them, and there are few to no complaints to find online. However, it seems that some sights are turning up with dead tritium vials or they don’t glow after a very short period of ownership. I did find that even though the lifetime warranty doesn’t cover tritium, Sig’s limited 5-year warranty covers tritium components starting from date of manufacture.

As suppressor height sights, they do come just above a suppressor and co-witness with a red dot in the lower 1/3 or a shade lower depending on the firearm and other factors.

The front blade is 0.374” in height while the rear is 0.417”. It will take some trial-and-error to figure out your POA and POI as they have not been set for any sort of sight picture.

The tritium vials provide dot visibility in lowlight and night conditions and are housed inside the steel sights for protection. The front sight has an oversized fluorescent polymer dot that surrounds the tritium for high visibility in daylight but also glows in the dark.

It’s my opinion that they would be excellent for use regardless of the conditions and as such, they offer a lot of value for the money. If you’re not running a red dot, the X-Ray3 does come in Sig size configurations of F6/R8, F8/R8, F8/R6, and F8/R8.

7. Viking Tactics VTAC Sig Sauer – Best Day & Night Sights

The VTAC Sig sights have both fiber and tritium dots ready for day/night use. I own and love them, so they were included as a hands-on field test. I got them because they’re stock for the P320 X-VTAC. They’ll fit most of the P series from the P220 to the P365 as well some out of production ones.

Pros:

• Day & night sights
• Fiber or steel
• 3-dot alignment
• Tapered front sight (0.110”)
• Fits a wide range of Sig P models

Cons:

• May shoot low

I sighted-in the VTACs for a 25-yard zero in the combat sight picture. Though others have reported that the sights are 1-2” low at 10 yards or more, I haven’t had such issues. Any flier shots I’ve had, had more to do with my pistol shooting fundamentals than the sights themselves.

The front is a Sig size #6 (0.230”) and the rear an #8 (0.250”). Even though I haven’t had need to switch out sizes, some have found better results with a front 8 and rear 8 combination to bring up groups that were too low with the F6/R8 combo.

I find the tapered front extremely beneficial with its slimming silhouette because it gives me the potential for improved precision with its 0.110” pinpoint post. Because the VTACs are standard height, they didn’t co-witness with the field-tested Leupold DeltaPoint Pro I stuck on there.

The dovetail base can be adjusted with a sight pusher for windage, though windage has never been an issue for me and that seems to be consistent across the board.

There are a lot of dots going on (a total of six!), but dot acquisition and visibility performance has always been easy, and I’ve never confused them.

My eyes find the fiber optics easy and fast to pick up in the day and align in the 3-dot alignment configuration. At night, my eye is immediately drawn to the glowing tritium dots. Though as a side note, there is an option for the black steel rear sight with a day & night front sight.

Though they’re the least well-known sights in this lineup, they offer day and night benefits that are perfectly matched with Sig Sauer P series pistols if you’re considering an upgrade. On my P320, they’re not going to be replaced any time soon. I’ll probably put a different RDS on there, but the VTACs aren’t going anywhere.

What to Look for in the Best Pistol Iron Sights

Overall, iron sights are simple and affordable. However, additional components and various materials can influence the cost, how they perform in certain conditions, and diverse specifications can determine what application they’re best suited to.

For a run-down on the need-to-know info, this guide will get you thinking.

Cost

In general, handgun iron sights will vary in cost depending on material, adjustability, and visibility enhancement components. They can be as affordable as $20 and as expensive as $200. Even so, they’re cheaper than pistol red dot sights with an average starting price point of $250 (approx.).

When considering a budget for pistol sights, you must sum up your needs:

• Application (type of shooting: hunting, patrol/duty, competition, carry, home defense, etc.)
• Dot visibility for daylight, lowlight, or dark conditions
• Durability (plastic housing VS metal)
• Adjustability (fixed VS adjustable)

The more you require from your sights, the more expensive they will be. You should also include a budget for the proper tools needed for installation or for a professional install by a gunsmith. A professional install is nearly always recommended by the manufacturer and is sometimes a requirement of the warranty.

Fiber Optic Day Sights VS Tritium Night Sights

Both fiber optic and tritium components do not require electricity, power, recharging – any of the inconveniences of illuminated red dot sights. However, these enhanced visibility sights cost more than basic blackout and fluorescent painted iron sights.

What are Fiber Optic Sights?

Fiber optic tubes are installed into the sight. Ambient light is “collected” into the tube and then concentrated at the end – the dot. They are colored to provide contrast against the target and surroundings for high sight visibility. These are appropriate for day use in normal conditions.

What are Tritium Night Sights?

Tritium gas is concentrated into tiny vials that catalyze a glowing effect with fluorescent materials. They become highly visible in low light and dark conditions where visual acuity is reduced, and other iron sight alternatives would be rendered useless. Though very visible in these conditions, they do not glow during the day, and you cannot temper its brightness at night. These are night sights.

More expensive iron sights will incorporate both fiber optic and tritium dots for day and night use.

Blackout Sights

Blackout pistol iron sights are plain, as in basic. They lack enhancement features as they lack dots altogether. Why would these be preferable on any handgun?

Blackout sights have their purpose. Most of the time, the rear is blacked-out for simplicity to remove as many visual distractions as possible. This allows a dot on the front sight to stand out. In turn, this improves front sight acquisition and focus.

However, when both the front and rear sight are blacked out, they are better paired with a pistol mounted red dot sight. Though taller sights are visible through the RDS, their basic appeal does not distract from the functioning illuminated dot of the RDS.

This is also important when using night vision with a pistol-mounted RDS. Tritium can be seen through night vision and thus is another distraction to the shooter when viewing through the RDS with NODS.

Close range VS Long range

The blade width of the front sight will influence sight acquisition and focus, accuracy, and distance performance. They vary in width, and while some like thin blades, it may be too narrow and can get “lost” against the target or FOV making it slower to pick up.

Conversely, a wider front sight may cover up too much of the target and FOV to make accurate shots at distance. For close range shooting, say under 10 yards, a wider front sight of 0.140” (approx.) and wider will be faster to pick up.

For distance shooting over 10 yards, a front sight of around 0.100-0.125” (approx.) will cover less of the target aiding in precision and target acquisition.

Fixed VS Adjustable

Many pistol sights are fixed and cannot be adjusted. These types are set for a certain sight picture and are sighted in at a specific distance. Therefore, sights are model specific for the handgun. If placed on another pistol or installed incorrectly, the POA will not match the POI.

Not all fixed sights are accurate even though they’re the right sights for the right firearm. Some modifications can be made such as, front sights can be filed down and dovetail rear sights can be pushed left and right for some adjustability.

Easier adjustability is usually a feature of a specialty rear sight for competition shooters. Being able to adjust can result in greater precision, tighter groups, and increased confidence when shooting at various distances.

For more on how to sight-in and adjust, check out our How to Zero Iron Sights how-to guide.

Installation

Most pistol sights are fixed. It’s essential to be specific about blade heights so you can sight-in your iron sights. Some can be “pushed” to try to compensate for left/right (windage) and front sights can always be filed down. However, it’s not as easy to weld more steel to too short front sights.

While a brass punch and mallet is how it was done for a long time, a proper sight pusher is a better tool. Sights with tritium vials can break, and other than being out of the cost of the sight, you’ll want to avoid breaking an alpha-emitter product.

If you don’t have the right tools, are finding it difficult to get tight groups or to raise/lower them, or they’re not fitting right, a professional install is recommended. In fact, the instructions that came with the iron sights likely mentions that a trained gunsmith install the sights.

In some cases, the warranties demand this and warranties can be forfeited if installed with any other method.

Red Dot VS Iron Sights

With as popular and common as red dots are becoming on handguns, some are doing away with iron sights altogether. However, some of us are rooted in the opinion that red dots can fail, and a back-up sighting system remains relevant even in this electro-optic driven sporting industry.

Some comparisons include:

The rage right now is to combine irons and a RDS for a co-witness and never being without a sighting system. For more in-depth comparisons, check out our Iron Sights VS Red Dot guide.

Do You Need an Iron Sight Upgrade?

The factory iron sights that came with the pistol are not the end-all-be-all. If groups are off regardless of shooting fundamentals or dot visibility is difficult to acquire, aftermarket sights can be a practical upgrade. Some are tall enough to see over suppressors and red dots.

With various features like contrast enhancements, adjustability, and concealed carry features, upgrading your sights can make all the difference needed in usability, accuracy, shooter safety, and overall performance.

Further Reading

• How to Aim Iron Sights [Complete Guide with Photos]
• What is the Sight Picture & Sight Alignment? [WITH PICS]
• Iron Sights VS Red Dot Comparisons (Uses, Accuracy, Reliability, Durability & More)
• Pistol & Rifle Co-Witness Sights Explained!
• How to Zero Iron Sights on Pistol & AR-15 (With Photos)

Are you gearing up for your next hunting trip? There’s no question that hunting trips provide a unique and exciting opportunity to escape the everyday grind, but they also carry their fair share of pressure. Spending an extended amount of time away from home can be daunting — especially if you have poor planning skills! Before heading out into the wild, make sure to plan ahead and avoid some common mistakes so you can enjoy every second without stressing over things like supplies or accommodations. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through everything from pre-planning logistics to field experience tactics in The Ultimate Hunting Trip Prep: Mistakes to Avoid for a Stress-Free Experience. Get ready for success!

Do your research.

When it comes to preparing for a hunting trip, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Firstly, you’ll want to make sure you do your research ahead of time. This means reading up on the gear you’ll need, so that you’re fully prepared out in the field. For this reason, it would be smart to take a look at this guide to buying hunting boots and other gear, for example, so you know what kind of shoes to wear. Additionally, it’s important to be aware of any hunting regulations in the area where you’ll be hunting. Regulations and requirements can vary by region, so it’s worth checking out the relevant information before you set out. Lastly, it’s essential to keep safety front of mind. This means ensuring that you’re aware of any particular risks associated with your type of hunt, and knowing how to minimize them as much as possible. With a bit of careful planning and preparation, you’ll be able to enjoy your hunting trip to the fullest.

Pack a variety of clothing and gear

As any experienced hunter will tell you, it’s crucial to be prepared for whatever the weather may throw your way. Packing a variety of clothing and gear that will keep you warm and dry is absolutely essential if you want to be comfortable and focused while out hunting. From waterproof jackets to insulated boots, there are a variety of products on the market that can help ensure that you stay comfortable and protected, no matter what the conditions are like outside. So if you’re planning an upcoming hunting trip, be sure to invest in some high-quality gear that will keep you nice and toasty along the way!

Pack your weapons correctly

Ensuring that your firearms are stored safely and correctly is not only a legal obligation but also an ethical responsibility. Before taking off on your hunting trip, ensure your weapons are unloaded and stored in a case or container that is secure and protective. While accidentally accessing a loaded weapon during transportation may seem improbable, the repercussions could be life-changing. Failure to pack your weapons correctly can have not only legal consequences but also endanger you and others around you, making it essential to secure and handle them with care.

Don’t forget a first aid kit

When setting out on a hunting trip, there are certain essentials that you always remember to pack – your firearm, ammunition, binoculars, and perhaps your trusty hunting dog. But one item that should never be overlooked is a well-stocked first aid kit. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, and when you’re out in the wilderness, medical attention may be miles away. The basic supplies you need to include in your kit are bandages, antiseptic cream, and tweezers. However, it’s also important to consider the specific risks of your chosen hunt. For example, if you’re hunting in an area with a high risk of snake bites, then packing snakebite treatment could be a life-saver. So, before you hit the trail, make sure you’ve got a good-quality first aid kit and have stocked it with all the necessary items to keep you safe and healthy on your hunting adventure.

In conclusion, with the right preparations and considerations, a successful hunting trip is achievable. Taking into account the tips outlined in this post will ensure a stress-free experience and that you won’t forget any important supplies when setting out on your adventure. Especially important is to do your research – finding out about hunting regulations in the area, packing correctly for inclement weather conditions, preparing meals ahead of time, ensuring weapons are securely stored away, and restraining from taking unnecessary risks while hunting – will all contribute to an unforgettable time in nature. Lastly, but importantly too, make sure you double-check the necessary permits and documents needed before your journey starts. Even if you’re an experienced hunter eager to take on new challenges on your next hunt – following even these basics of hunting hunt preparation will give you some peace of mind as you wander off on an unpredictable adventure.

Have you ever heard turkey drumming?

Most people think of purrs, gobbling and yelps when it comes to common wild turkey vocalizations. It’s easy to see why. They’re extremely common and easy to hear echoing through the spring woods.

But spring gobblers make another, lesser-heard vocalization too. It’s called a turkey drum.

If you’ve never heard this extremely low guttural drumming sound before, don’t feel too bad. Many experienced hunters haven’t either. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

What is turkey drumming?

This vocalization is made exclusively by male turkeys and even scientists are uncertain of exactly how they do it. You’d think with birds as common as turkeys we would know all their secrets, but this one is one of those sounds in the woods that we know very little about.

Some hunters hear the word drumming and think it has something to do with a noise made by the wing feathers, but it’s generally believed a big gobbler makes this sound by quickly sucking in air and then forcing it out again quickly. The result is one of the lowest sounds in the woods. It’s so subtle, you may not even realize the gobbler in front of you is doing it if there’s enough background noise!

Most hunters refer to drumming as a gobbler spit-drum because there is also a distinct spitting sound right before the drum. Either way, this is not a long distance sound like a gobble. It is an up close and personal type of vocalization and if you hear it, it likely means the bird is already in bowhunting range.

What does it mean when a turkey is drumming?

Just like the mystery of how the sound is produced, it seems no one really knows exactly why turkeys make this strange sound. The consensus opinion is that it probably has something to do with mating rituals since it is most often heard while longbeards are strutting and trying to impress hens in the springtime. Many hunters hear it when a bird is responding to their decoys.

Although it’s also worth noting that turkeys strut all year-round, so maybe the spit-drum has some other meaning that we humans simply cannot understand? It would sure make things a lot easier for turkey hunters if we had a translator, but sadly, we do not.

Perhaps drumming is simply a way of intimidating rivals or establishing territory. One thing is for sure, it’s a sound you want to listen for each turkey season.

What does a turkey drumming sound like?

Unlike gobbling, yelping or clucks, a gobbler spit-drum sounds like nothing you’d expect from a turkey. It’s an almost alien sound. The spit part of a spit-drum sounds exactly like the name. There’s a brief, loud “Psssst!” sound. This is followed by the drum, which is truly hard to explain to someone who’s never heard it. Phonetically, the closest we can get is, “Whoooooommmmm.”

It almost sounds like the low hum of a surround sound speaker, or someone plucking one string of a bass guitar. It has a reverberation quality to it that you can actually feel if you’re in close enough proximity.

There are plenty of videos on the internet of turkeys drumming, but even these have a hard time capturing the sound of this low turkey call. Most of the time, you need to listen to audio like this with headphones in order to pick out the very distinct hum. The first time I heard it, I didn’t believe it came from a turkey!

Once you hear a turkey drumming for the first time, you too will probably be dumbfounded by this sound. It’s like no other noise these birds make.

Notice in some of these videos that the gobblers almost look like their whole body or feathers are vibrating as they drum. It seems the Tom must really dig down deep to pull this sound out. It almost sounds like the type of noise a big game animal like a deer would make!

What does turkey drumming mean for hunting?

Turkey drumming is a sound you should be actively listening for every time you step in the woods after a big gobbler. Most hunters know the frustration of a turkey that suddenly stops gobbling, but some hunters might not realize that bird is still approaching them. Some Toms quit gobbling and start drumming, but the sound is so subtle, the hunter misses hearing it. Then, when the hunter stands up to leave, the turkeys spook.

Have you ever had a situation like that? If you have, it’s probably likely that turkey was drumming near you and you didn’t realize it.

Other hunters hear a turkey drum in the woods for the first time without knowing what it is, and it takes them completely by surprise. It is a relatively rare sound of the woods. If you’ve ever heard it while out turkey hunting, you’re lucky. Not many hunters have ever heard it.

Most seasoned experts agree on this turkey hunting tip: If you’re out after a big gobbler in the spring or fall turkey season and you suddenly hear this low sound reverberating through your area, get your bow or gun ready and hope your camo is good. Because there’s a Tom in the area and he’ll probably be within shooting range before you know it! In fact, he’ll be very likely to be within archery range.

Ultimately, the science and research behind turkey drumming and how it’s produced is rather incomplete. On top of that, wild turkeys are known to do some of the most unexplainable things we can imagine, so the mystery shrouding this bird and its actions shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.

NEXT: 10 WAYS TO EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF AMERICA’S BIG GAME HUNTING

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In the world of hunting, there is nothing more exciting than calling up a big tom turkey within shotgun range. To make it more rewarding, try making your own call and tricking one of the most cautious and leery game animals in North America. Wing-bone calls are the oldest form of calls, developed by Native Americans and possibly dating back 4,000 years.

During this off-season, why not make your own wing-bone call? They are easy to make but take some practice to be able to produce the sounds needed to fool an old tom.

The wing bones of mature male turkeys are the most desirable for wing-bone calls. Bones from different turkeys make different sounds. Bones from mature toms make a deep and raspy sound. Bones from hens make a higher and crispier sound. Bones from jakes make a sound that falls in between the toms and hens. Because calls made from different turkeys make different sounds, a savvy hunter will have one of each in his or her bag of tricks. Another benefit of the wing-bone call is it is louder and the sound travels farther than any other type of call.

To use the wing-bone call, the hunter places the free end of the radius bone in between their lips. Some hunters place the call in the front and center of their lips, while others place the call near the corner of their mouth. The call is not operated by blowing through it, like most turkey calls. Rather, it makes the yelps and clucks of a hen by a sucking motion. The hunter puckers his or her lips and “kisses” to create the suction. This takes practice, but it is easy to learn. Just like anything worth doing, you need to put in the time to master the sounds.

Step 1 The first step is to remove the wings from the turkey at the ball joint where the wing attaches to the body. The wing must be deboned to save the humerus, radius and ulna. These three bones need to be scraped clean of all the meat and cartilage that can be reached with a knife. When finished with step one, you should have three bones separated from each other and somewhat clean.

Step 2 Next, boil these three bones. Adding a few drops of dishwashing liquid will begin the degreasing process. Wait for the water to boil before dropping in the bones. Do not boil longer than 20 minutes because the longer the bones boil, the more brittle they become.

Step 3 Then, remove the bones from the boiling water after any remaining meat or cartilage has gone. Using a hacksaw or a Dremel tool, remove the ends of the two smaller bones, the radius and ulna, where the bones start to flare. On the larger bone, the humerus, sever the smaller end where it starts to flare. On the larger end of the humerus, sever the flared end at the widest point. This gives the call a bell or trumpet to amplify the sounds. Be careful while cutting the ends as not to splinter the bones.

Remove the marrow from all the bones with a pipe cleaner. The bell end of the humerus needs to be cleared of any thin bones to create a single hollow chamber. The last thing in this step is to lightly sand the cut ends to make them smooth.

Step 4 For step four, first bring some fresh water to a boil. Then, add the bones to the boiling water with a liberal amount of dishwashing liquid to degrease. Then, add a splash of hydrogen peroxide to whiten the bones. Only boil for a few minutes so the bones do not become too brittle.

Step 5 This step is the assembly of the call. You will notice that the radius has a round end and a flat end. The flat end is the mouthpiece, and the round end is inserted into the ulna. The free end of the ulna is inserted into the small end of the humerus. Some turkey hunters do not add the humerus, which makes a smaller call. The addition of the humerus allows the turkey sounds to project for a longer distance because of the trumpet or bell on the end. The ends may have to be shaved a little bit to fit inside of each other. Once you have a tight fit of the connected pieces, mix some epoxy to glue the parts together and fill any gaps to create a seal. Let the epoxy set according to the instructions.

Step 6 Step 6 is optional. Some turkey hunters decorate or add their own finishing touches to their new call. Just remember, these calls are for turkey hunting, so stay away from bright colors, shiny finishes or hanging things such as feathers or beads that can give your position away to a sharp-eyed bird. Most turkey hunters who make their own wing-bone calls wrap dark thread around the bones where they connect. If you spray it with a clear coat, make sure that it is not a glossy finish. You want a dull, flat finish.

Remington 700 Rifle Review

Peter Jones Reviews the Remington 700 and considers if it is still a good buy for deer stalkers.

What can I possibly say about the Remington 700 that has not already been said?

(Remington 700 SPS Varmint)

Well I am not going to try and be too clever here and provide you with countless stat’s and specifications, instead I am going to aim to concentrate simply on whether or not you should buy one for deer stalking.

First of all a little history…. I’ll keep it short. Remington Arms introduced the Model 700 bolt action rifle way back in 1962, since that date there have been a whole host of variants produced with a whole variety of differing specifications, materials, stock designs and calibers. Models include the 700 ADL, Model 700 BDL, Model 700 CDL, Model 700 Safari Model 700 SPS etc, etc, you get the idea!

The Remington 700 has in fact also been adapted not only for hunters but for use by both the Police and the military, both the M24 & M40 Sniper rifles were both built on the Remington 700 action. The simple common denominator however is that all Remington 700’s are produced with the aim of being an affordable mass produced rifle, and my god did Remington achieve it. There are probably more Remington 700’s knocking about (especially in the U.S) than any other bolt action rifle in the world.

The action of the 700 itself is designed with this mass production in mind and has two forward dual opposing lugs. The bolt is made from three pieces forged together (body, head, and bolt handle) and the ejector is constructed as a C clip sitting within the bolt face.

(Left: A modified Remington 700 SL)

Rifles can usually be obtained in one of three action lengths, ranging from short actions such as the .308 all the way through to Long actions for the large Magnum calibres. Detachable box magazines can be obtained however many 700’s are of the drop plate variety. These days this is to the Remington’s detriment. Drop plates are out of fashion and to my mind rightly so. Unloading the rifle in the field and having 4 rounds spill out in the dirt can be irritating to say the least.

The exact model that I have been taking a closer look at is the Remington 700 SPS Varmint. With a heavy 26 inch barrel with 1:12 twist and injection moulded stock the rifle is quite heavy weighing in at 8.5lbs. The finish is matt bluing and the fore end of the stock is a triangular style wedge with vents. The overall impression is one of a military style rifle rather than the traditional sporter that we are used to in European rifles.

Triggers on Remington’s are on the whole, let’s just say decidedly average. They simply can’t compete with the likes of Sako and Sauer and other European made rifles however that said they can usually be adjusted anywhere from 1.5lbs to 4.5lbs in weight. It is not uncommon however to find in a well loved 700 that the trigger has been modified or replaced completely.

(Above: The Remington SPS Varminth)

So let’s get back to the point, should you buy one for hunting deer? As well as having taken time to take a look at this rifle myself I also took some time today to speak with a number of gun dealers. The overriding advice seems to be yes by all means buy one but only if it’s extremely competitively priced.

I would agree entirely with these sentiments. The Remington 700 is a solid and well tested bolt action rifle of that there is no doubt, however the competition today is stiff and the old 700 Remi can simply no longer compete with the out of the box accuracy and build quality of other cheap rifles.

You can buy a new Tikka T3 these days for around £795-00. So ask yourself this. What would it be worth me buying an inferior Remi 700 for? Well all I will say is it’s got to be cheap, dirt cheap or else you might as well spend that little bit extra and get something else.

If you are on a tight budget and do decide to opt for a Remington 700 then take a while to check that you have a good one because an anomaly with the model 700 is that they can vary in quality and build. As a result amongst my shooting clients I have had some owners who simply adore their 700’s and others who swear that they will never pick up a Remi again.

The Remington 700 love it or hate it. It has been and remains an iconic rifle and will no doubt be around for many years to come.

For more Rifle Reviews click on the following link: rifle-reviews

Does the P365 Live Up to the Hype?!

No gun has received the attention that I’ve seen the SIG Sauer P365 receive since its announcement in January just before SHOT Show. It gets this attention in all fairness, though, because when a gun shakes up the current single-stack 9mm market, dominated by Glock 43’s and M&P Shields, it’s understandable.

For the last 6 years, gun owners have bought into the idea that a concealed carry gun needs to be slim, lightweight, single-stack, somewhere between 6-8 round capacity, and striker-fired. Concealed carriers have also bought into the idea that it MUST be single-stack for a gun to fit those requirements.

Enter the SIG P365. It is all of those things—slimmer than the Glock 43, lighter than the Shield. It has a phenomenal trigger not just for guns in this class but even for any modern defensive pistol. And then there’s the fact that it just happens to hold 10+1 rounds in its standard configuration. That’s four more rounds than the G43 and three more than the M&P Shield. Readily available 12-round magazines boost that to nearly double the capacity of the Glock.

And you wonder why people are going nuts over this pistol.

But they’re also freaking out over some other aspects of the pistol, and not necessarily in a positive way. But first, let’s talk about some of the features and specifications of the gun.

Specifications

First Impressions:

Grip

I first got my hands on the P365 just before SHOT Show at a special SIG SAUER Range Day Media event. My good friend, Kyle Lamb, was there as well doing some demonstrations for SIG. Besides being involved in the excitement surrounding the P365, Kyle also has a gun he designed in collaboration with the team at SIG based on the P320 platform, the SIG SAUER X-VTAC 9mm, which is a pretty nice piece of hardware itself.

Kyle did a little demonstration of the P365 on camera with me, and the shots you see me fire there are the first I sent downrange out of this little beast. I call it that because it is like the Little Engine That Could, small in size and stature, but big in performance!

Right away, I knew there was something pretty special about the little gun. Placing it in my hand, I was immediately surprised at how good the grip felt. The P365 takes some of its design cues from P320, X-Series pistols. Particularly in its stippling and smooth trigger guard undercut. The undercut allows the shooter to get an even higher grip on the gun for greater control and flatter shooting.

The P365 sit’s nicely in the hand’s webbing because of the grip’s backstrap and beavertail design. I saw a graphic online with the outlines of 3 of the most popular single-stack 9mm handguns overlaid and compared to the P365.

Analyzing the graphic, I could see that the P365 has a bore axis height as low as anything out there. The low bore axis is surprising because SIG Sauer guns, especially in the Classic line of pistols, have established a reputation of having a bore axis that is relatively high compared to competing designs. Not that this has kept me from shooting them quickly and efficiently.

Bore axis height is an overrated factor, but regardless the SIG P365 performs exceptionally well in this regard.

Stippling on the grip is effective and comfortable. The gun sticks in the hand like it should without being too aggressive for more sensitive skin.

Trigger

The next thing I noticed right away was the trigger. My first trigger press surprised me as I wasn’t expecting it to fire so quickly and easily. Sig says it has a 6- lb trigger.

I have not put a trigger scale on it to test, but I would say 6 lbs. seems about right. But the trigger FEELS lighter than that. It is deceptive. I’m not sure what sorcery (you will see similar references throughout this review) is going on there, but it is a very nice, light, crisp trigger for a striker-fired gun.

The trigger reset is fantastic as well. It is short and distinct. The initial take-up of the trigger is light and free. The travel of the trigger once you “hit the wall” (the point where you feel resistance in the stroke) is about a quarter-inch. Pressing the trigger through the stroke is smooth and even. Once it breaks, there is no perceptible overtravel.

Instead of having the trigger break near the rear of the trigger guard opening, it breaks with about 3/8” open space behind the trigger. The length of pull has an outstanding balance. Shooters with smaller hands will have no problem working the trigger, and larger-handed folk will use it comfortably.

Sights

The original P365 came with SIG-Lite Night Sights. I have owned several SIG pistols with these night sights. They are good, serviceable tritium-based sights, far better than what many firearm manufacturers put on their stock pistols.

However, early into the P365 launch, customer’s discovered their pistols were breaking the tritium vials due to the extreme recoil velocity of the slide. These early pistols were sent back in and replaced with SIG SAUER’s new XRAY3 Day/Night Sights. The XRAY3 sights are fantastic! They are bright in daylight or low-light conditions. The front sight is a tritium vial surrounded by a bright green circle that is very easy to pick up in rapid strings of fire.

The rear notch sight in use works more like a blacked-out rear sight in daytime use, but it also has two tritium dots that show up very nicely in low light. While you can see the two rear dots in the daytime, I don’t notice them. While shooting fast, you get a very bright front sight that is easy to find in the rear notch.

Recoil and Shootability

The next thing I discovered about the P365 is that it is easy and pleasant to shoot. I call it the “little gun that shoots like a big gun.” This is true of the felt recoil and muzzle rise that occurs when firing, but it is also true in how accurate the gun is and the ease with which confidence comes to hit your intended target.

While some smaller guns can be challenging to shoot at a distance or small targets, my experience with the P365 is that if you see that bright green front sight on the target and press the trigger smoothly, you WILL hit for what you aim.

With my Glock 43, it just seems I have to concentrate much more on the sight picture, and even then, it sometimes isn’t enough when shots go where I do not expect them to. My confidence with the P365 is very high, and I find myself shooting it in situations and challenging shots that I usually reserve for my larger, duty-sized guns.

Now back to the handgun’s recoil. Recoil with the P365, like its trigger, is deceptive. It is a small gun, to be sure, so I expected it to be snappy. But it FEELS less snappy than similar guns in this category. Watch this video of me running a Bill Drill with the gun (done at 3.5 yards and shooting a 2.5” group in 1.94 seconds). Pay attention to HOW FLAT the gun is in my hand:

That is some serious voodoo magic. This thing seems to shoot flatter than some of my much bigger, heavier guns. Your mileage may vary depending on how effective and tight you grip your gun, but it is still impressive.

Capacity

Capacity is where the P365 gets the most significant amount of attention, and rightfully so. I don’t know what kind of witchcraft the engineers in Exeter, NH are employing, but for the size and thickness of the P365 to be able to fit 10 or 12 rounds into a profile that doesn’t look any bigger than an S&W Shield, it is pure witchcraft I’m telling you, pure mysticism!

The reality is that then-new Pistol Product Manager Phil Strader instructed engineers at SIG SAUER to design a new micro-compact pistol. And to start first by developing a double-stack magazine capable of holding at least 10 rounds and making it as small as possible.

The result? Three new patents just based around the magazine made the rest of the design much more easily achieved.

The gun comes with two 10-round magazines, one with a flush base plate and another with a slight pinky finger extension. Oddly enough, after shooting several hundred rounds, I came almost to prefer the flush baseplate when using the 10-round mags.

Due to the trigger guard undercut and other grip design features, I can sneak about half of my pinky onto the gun’s grip. But even if I couldn’t get a full grip on it, I never once felt compromised in shooting the gun well, unlike other competitor’s guns.

A 12-round magazine is also available, and while it extends the grip length, it is still just barely longer than some other guns with standard capacity magazines in them. The M&P Shield with a factory 8-round magazine is longer than the P365 with a 12-round magazine. Wizardry!! Harry Potter would be proud!

Even better than the capacity and the ability to remain a very concealable gun? The 12-round magazine makes the P365 feel and shoots like a different gun. It FILLS the hand, and it FEELS excellent!

The magazines are well-constructed metal-bodied, double-stack magazines. They are pretty much what to expect from SIG if you are familiar with their other mags. Excellent quality, great performing magazines, but they come at a cost. Currently, there are no aftermarket magazine options that I am aware of, so you’ll be getting your fill of extra mags direct from SIG.

Accuracy

The SIG SAUER P365 is accurate. Testing across many different loads, it exhibited outstanding groups. I am not the most skilled bullseye/target shooter (I prefer to go FAST), but the gun is accurate enough for a small defensive tool. Group sizes were consistently around 3 inches at 15 yards (I didn’t have a longer range to test with at the time).

My greatest challenge to shooting more accurately was the width of the front sight post, as it covered up much of the target from 15 yards and out. But I am confident that if you used a Ransom Rest to test inherent accuracy, I am sure the results would be excellent. One of the significant differences with this gun is the trigger. I don’t need to rehash the point, but it is a very shootable trigger; it lends itself to easy, accurate shooting.

Reported Failures

Reliability is the big “elephant in the room” part of the review. Much has been said about the reliability of the P365 in the months since its release. Several people, including some respected reviewers, have indicated that the gun may not be quite ready for prime time. They believed it was released too early, almost like a “beta version” to be tested by the gun-buying masses.

I am not sure what to make of this because my experience with several different P365’s has been quite positive.

But let’s take a look at some of the noted issues that have come up:

Return-to-Battery (RTB) Failures—

In the first month or so of release, customers reported RTB failures. The issues seemed only to affect the very first guns that hit the streets. I shot a couple of different early models and didn’t have a single RTB issue, but many people did. Some of it could have been ammunition issues, but I think there were some legitimate concerns. SIG fixed this on a warranty basis for existing owners and all newly manufactured guns with a slightly stronger recoil spring assembly (RSA). To date, with the two different P365’s I have in my possession, I have not had a single RTB failure.

SIG-Lite Night Sight Failures—

Some early guns were affected by faulty night sights. Again, Sig fixed this issue within a few weeks. All guns had their sights replaced, and new models shipped with the new XRAY3 Day/Night Sights, which are fantastic! (See above.) Also, there were some reports of sights coming loose in their sight channels. I’m not entirely sure just how widespread these issues were, but it seems Sig addressed it, as I have heard no new reports in some time.

Barrel and Slide Peening—

Another “issue” that received quite a bit of attention was peening. The slide excessively banging into the corners of the barrel hood and its slamming between the barrel cam and locking lug caused the excessive peening. I never thought it was much of an issue. Even if peening occurred, I didn’t feel it would be a failure point several thousand rounds down the road. Apparently, SIG Sauer took some steps to address this, but either way, no one’s even talking about this issue anymore.

Trigger Return Spring Failures—

Shortly after that, it was reported (and Tim at the Military Arms Channel experienced this on camera) that some guns were developing a trigger return spring failure. I’ve seen it mentioned that some owner’s springs broke, but I’m willing to bet most of the failures were instances of the spring popping out of position. This issue seems rectified, with no new reports of it in some time.

Primer/Striker Drag—

There is much attention to so-called primer drag, where the striker remains in contact with the primer as the barrel begins unlocking from the slide. Some believe that this is the reason for several broken firing pins. I am a little unclear on this. The reason being that I have other guns that exhibit primer drag, and it is more common with small, striker-fired firearms. Part of the reason for this is that the slide/barrel takes on recoil before unlocking due to the shorter rearward travel. On larger guns, the slide and barrel stay locked together longer and provide more time for the striker to retract before unlocking. I have witnessed primer drag on many other smaller guns, including Glock, Smith & Wesson, and others. Although it does appear that drag marks on the P365 may be more pronounced. I presume this is why it garnered more attention.

Broken Firing Pins—

There were a fair number of reported broken firing pins. Many believe that the primer drag is the culprit for causing this. I suppose it is possible, but let’s first establish that the firing pin itself is much harder than any primer. Regardless, there are plenty of documented instances of broken firing pins. According to SIG Sauer, it is unclear exactly how many of these occurred, but it is a limited number. Companies have developed and released hardened stainless steel replacement strikers as an aftermarket part for those highly concerned about this issue. However, as reports of broken firing pins have decreased substantially, it would seem that this is less and less of a problem affecting the product line. SIG Sauer has since redesigned the striker and reevaluated their manufacturing supplier due to some inconsistencies and out-of-spec hardness and tempering. Some firing pins were too brittle, and the primer drag likely did not help and instead exacerbated the problem.

Failure-to-Lockback (FTL)—

I’ve seen this mentioned, and in the case of one serious “reviewer,” he has tracked this statistic with monotonous consistency. I personally don’t believe many of these FTL’s are legitimate in that something with either the slide stop or magazine follower failed to work, causing the FTL. I think 99% of these are shooter-induced. What do I mean? Many shooters ride the slide stop with their dominant hand thumb because of its location and the gun’s small size. They may not notice it’s an issue just by looking at their grip, but I suspect due to the small, lightweight gun that the 365 is rotating, the slide stop up into their thumb. I have not experienced any FTL’s with either of my 2 guns. But I am confident when the shooter uses a properly-developed grip, they won’t have this issue. The problem is that most shooters do not have a good grip, and their lack of this has not been an issue on other guns they’ve fired. But it is exacerbated on this platform for whatever reason.

Various ejection/extraction/feeding issues—

I think many of these are ammunition related especially in the case of steel and aluminum-cased cartridges. Most of the malfunctions I have seen in the P365 platform have occurred with steel/aluminum-cased ammo. People will counter with, “Well, my [X brand of gun] has no issue with shooting steel or aluminum-cased ammo!” That’s a fair point. But we cannot make the case that the gun will get us killed by not being reliable in a gunfight simply because it doesn’t like cheap ammo. We don’t carry (I hope) cheap ammo in our defensive guns anyway. I had one malfunction out of over 5K rounds fired with brass-cased ammunition, and it was a +P round (more on this in a moment). Everything else was either steel or aluminum.

A NOTE: M of the above problems appear resolved. However, even if a person were to have a problem with their gun, SIG Sauer has one of the best warranty and customer service programs in the industry. My interactions with SIG’s customer service department have been nothing but positive and professional exchanges.

At this point, I should mention that I have been testing two different P365’s. SIG promised to send me one for review, but I couldn’t wait, so I purchased one myself made in mid-February. You’ll note that this is just a few weeks after they were officially released.

The other gun finally arrived from SIG in late May and was manufactured in the first week of May. I could have contacted SIG and said, “Never mind sending the gun; I have one already.” But I was interested in getting my hands on another one made at a different time for comparison. I heard all these bad things, and I figured the more guns I could experience, the better my test data.

By the time the demo gun from SIG arrived, I had already put almost 2,000 rounds through my personal gun. I fired an additional 3,000 rounds through the two guns throughout the remainder of the summer, about half-and-half. So I ended up with about 3,400 rounds fired through my personal gun and 1,600 rounds through the evaluation gun from SIG. Some fired in pure evaluation, and quite a few in different training courses.

I tested the guns with minimal cleaning. The somewhat loose standard followed was no cleaning, and fresh lubrication applied only once every 500 rounds. You will see from images in this article that my guns are still dirty. I believe that it is much more critical that firearms are well lubricated than being perfectly clean. I’m done evaluating them, so now I will give them an extensive cleaning.

I tested both guns with a variety of ammunition brands, types, and weights over the summer:

• Sig Sauer Elite Performance FMJ in 115, 124, and 147-grain varieties
• Sig Sauer Elite Performance JHP in 115 and 124-grain loads
• SIG Sauer 365 FMJ and V-Crown 115 grain
• Federal 115 gr FMJ Aluminum
• Federal 115 gr FMJ Brass
• Hornady XTP 124 gr
• G2 Research R.I.P.
• Winchester Ranger-T 124 gr +P
• Remington Golden Saber 124 gr +P
• Winchester 147 gr JHP (Whitebox)
• Federal Hydrashok 135 gr
• Federal Hydrashok Deep 135 gr
• Federal 150 gr HST Micro
• Winchester Train & Defend (FMJ and JHP both)
• Remington UMC 115 gr JHP
• Fiocchi 115 gr FMJ
• And a few others

Reliability

The gun ran perfectly smoothly until I started shooting the Federal aluminum-cased ammo. This stoppage happened about 200 rounds after shooting a variety of SIG Sauer FMJ loads. On the 212th shot, the Federal aluminum 115-grain case failed to extract, and a double-feed occurred. 16 shots later, the same thing happened. I made it through the remainder of the aluminum-cased ammo (about 80 rounds) without further issues.

One failure-to-feed malfunction occurred at around 700 rounds with one load of 124 grain Winchester Ranger-T +P. Considering the other 4500+ rounds of brass-cased (including several hundred nickel-plated cases and dozens and dozens of +P rounds as well) ammunition fired without trouble, I considered this a fluke. The malfunction that occurred was actually the next round in the magazine, taking a nosedive into the magazine body.

At around 1500 rounds, I fired my first steel-cased rounds through the guns. Neither one would run reliably with them. I averaged about 3 rounds per 10 or 12-round magazine that would double-feed when shooting steel-cased ammo. Talking with other P365 owners, this seems to be a hit-or-miss issue. Some report having no problem shooting the stuff; others have similar issues like mine.

I also tested the new SIG Sauer 365 FMJ and V-Crown 115 grain loads, designed and loaded to shoot and feel identical.

The point is that a person can practice more with the cheaper FMJ rounds and get the same velocity, recoil impulse, and point-of-impact/point-of-aim as the V-Crown JHP defensive loads.

These rounds have also been optimized for the shorter-barreled P365. I liked how they shot very much. I tested the 365 V-Crowns extensively, including in ballistic gelatin, and the performance was excellent. A full review of this ammunition is forthcoming.

Finally, around 2,500 rounds on my personally purchased P365, I experienced my first, legitimate brass-cased round failure. This failure was with a Federal Premium 115 grain brass-cased cartridge. It was a failure-to-extract malfunction. I have since had no other malfunctions with either of the two guns.

Overall, when shooting even just decent quality brass-cased loads, the P365 exhibited a 99.96% reliability rating.

I have spoken with numerous P365 owners, and I have personally witnessed several P365 owners fire their guns. Some of these were in handgun courses I instructed this year. I estimate that I have seen approximately 5,000-6,000 rounds fired through about 10 other P365 pistols. While I have seen a few malfunctions occur, and some seemed to experience more malfunctions than I did, including brass-cased ammunition, I can still count the TOTAL number of malfunctions witnessed in all these other guns on less than two hands. Worst-case scenario, the P365 is still 99.85%+ reliable. This represents a little more than 1 malfunction every 1,000 rounds, and I estimate about 1 in every 750.

How does this compare to other well-established firearms? My Glock 43 has had the same number of malfunctions in fewer rounds fired. I regularly witness malfunctions from a variety of semi-automatic handguns, including Glocks, Smith & Wesson M&P’s, Rugers, etc.

All guns have issues. Sometimes they are ammunition-caused, and I personally feel many shooters rationalize the malfunctions they do experience and claim that their gun is “100% reliable.” I haven’t met a 100% reliable semi-auto yet. Shoot them enough, and you will experience failures.

I personally feel that a failure rate of no more than 1 in every 500 rounds is an excellent standard. These numbers represent a 0.2% failure rate or a 99.8% reliability rate. You will see that the P365 falls above this standard.

Do I consider this good enough for personal defense, including EDC (Everyday Carry)? Yes, I do. As with any gun, you should do testing with a minimum of 500 rounds of your carry ammo.

I am sure some will disagree with my findings, but I can only speak from my own experience and data. And the data does not lie. Everything I wrote above is true. But even with some of the negativity surrounding the P365, here is what I found:

It is a freaking excellent gun!

That doesn’t mean it is without its faults or hasn’t had some growing pains for some people. But for me (and I can only speak from my own experience), the SIG P365 has been a very solid and reliable platform. So let me begin wrapping up my thoughts on this innovative platform:

The Bad

The grip—

I think the grip is too “shallow.” It is a very small gun. The width of the grip is less than an inch wide which is fine. But I think Sig could have increased the distance between the front strap and the back strap of the grip. That said, I think it feels very nice in hand. I like the contouring, the stippling, the length—there are many great aspects of the grip. I understand that it is a balancing act of building a compact and concealable gun, but that is also shootable for various shooters and hand sizes. I think they did an excellent job. But if I were king for a day, I would have stretched it out just a bit.

Failure-to-Extract Malfunctions—

In my experience, this malfunction is the most common one to occur with the P365 platform. Also known as a “double-feed,” this is where the fired case fails to extract fully. The slide continues rearward, picks up the next round, and shoves it into the rear of the still-chambered empty casing.

To clear this MOAM (Mother-Of-All-Malfunctions), it requires the shooter to lock the slide to the rear, strip the magazine from the gun, rack the slide multiple times, insert a loaded magazine, rack the slide, and chamber a fresh round. In contrast to FTF (Failure-to-Fire) and stovepipe malfunctions that generally only require a Tap-Rack to clear, you can see how this double-feed malfunction can cost a shooter some time to clear it when they might not have that much time in a fight.

Due to the nature of this, it is a little concerning that WHEN the P365 experiences a failure, the double-feed malfunction occurs at a higher rate when compared to most other handgun platforms. I believe this is because of the unique design and small, ultra-compact size. My personal belief is that the gun unlocks a tad early while gas pressure is still elevated, locking the empty casing in the chamber. This results in the extractor slipping off the case’s rim, and we get our double-feed malfunction.

I only experienced this with steel and aluminum-cased ammunition, which are less “slick” than brass-cased ammunition. There may be something to it with the modulus of elasticity of steel and aluminum being substantially higher than brass which would result in steel and aluminum cases contracting after firing back down to an extractable size at a slower rate than brass. I don’t know; I’m just thinking here, which can be downright dangerous at times!

The Front Sight—

While the new XRAY3 Day/Night Sights are excellent and visible, I feel the front sight is a tad wider than it needs to be. Or the rear notch could be wider. The width of the sights is basically the same as what you’d find on SIG’s full-sized guns, which when you shorten the distance between the front and rear sights, the front sight starts to fill the notch more and more. Typically for most people, having a little more light on either side of the front post in the notch is a little quicker to center and send the next shot. But this is a minor complaint because I shoot the P365 just fine.

Magazine Release—

This is also a minor issue I have with the gun, and it may be specific to me, but I think the mag release could be different. The P365 has a raised mag release button which shape follows the contour of the grip. The P320’s have a flat raised button. I think a hybrid approach would have been better—flat, but have the rear of the button start flush with the grip. My issue is that because the grip is so small, occasionally, when I grip a little too firmly with my support hand, during recoil, my hand will accidentally depress the mag release. So I have had to relax my support hand grip slightly to avoid this.

In analyzing the instances where this occurred, I determined that my support hand palm makes contact with the rear portion of the button. Starting the button flush with the surface and manufacturing it to be flat would still enable positive activation when desired but would likely eliminate the accidental dropping of the mag. The grip is small enough that virtually any adult hand and thumb can reach the mag release even if designed as described above.

Things I Like About the P365

Accuracy-

For its size, the SIG Sauer P365 is accurate.

Modular Chassis Construction—

While SIG Sauer does not advertise this fact, the reality is that the gun is built similarly to the P320. Both have a serialized “frame” or chassis that can easily be removed from the grip module. The potential exists for much future innovation and design improvements from both SIG and third-party aftermarket manufacturers. It is also convenient if a person wants to have two different grip modules with different accessories (such as one with a mounted FOXTROT365 weapon-mounted light) that would allow the owner to swap between other setups quickly. I recently picked up a FOXTROT365, and in my limited initial testing, I am quite impressed, and I look forward to putting it to use.

Feel of the Gun—

It just feels good in my hand. The contouring and texturing are excellent. The ergonomics are good. The slide serrations are effective.

Trigger—

There is no other small striker-fired handgun on the market with a trigger better than the one found on the P365. I also feel SIG was brilliant to have the trigger break at 90-degrees, in the “middle” of the stroke, instead of the rear of the trigger guard. Besides the trigger weight, smoothness, and break being good, the position at which it breaks is part of the secret as well, I think. It breaks before the finger can overwrap the trigger, causing any disturbance to the aim of the gun before it is fired.

Size and Capacity—

What’s not to love about 10+1 rounds (standard) and 12+1 rounds (extended) in a micro-compact size and form? This is the first micro-compact gun that tempts me to consider if I could replace my Glock 19 or SIG P320 Compact, both 15-round capacity guns. Packing the P365 around is a cinch. It disappears on my body in either the Tac-Lab M.T.R. or GrayGuns/PHLSTER Classic holsters, and there was tons of holster support for it from the get-go.

Shootability—

I come back to a statement I made earlier. It is the little gun that shoots like a much bigger gun. I LIKE shooting it!

The Verdict

I plan on sending a check to SIG Sauer in Exeter, New Hampshire, to pay them for the review gun they sent me. I like the P365 well enough that owning just one is not enough. Plus, I have plans for some fun upgrades and modifications I’d like to do to one of these guns, mainly because I want to. A tease?—think red dot and compensator as a start …

The P365 is a winner. 13 rounds in a tiny form that is easily concealed and is easy to shoot. Magic, I say.

Magically magical.

More Pics!

Links

SIG SAUER – www.sigsauer.com

GrayGuns – www.grayguns.com

Tac-Lab Holsters – www.facebook.com/TacLab2016/

When your ATV doesn’t start, it can be frustrating, inconvenient, worrying, and confusing. There are so many things that cause an ATV to not respond to your will, so it’s good to know the most common reasons for an ATV to not start and the symptoms that will clue you in on the real reason behind your quad’s stubborn refusal to get going.

Why isn’t my ATV starting?

To start, an ATV needs enough fuel, air, spark, and power in the battery. When any of these things are lacking, your ATV won’t start up.

If these things have been taken care of, there could be a problem with the electrics, such as the kill switch. To work out which of these issues is the most likely, first consider whether the engine is starting at all.

My ATV engine isn’t turning over at all

Is the ATV in gear?

Many ATVs won’t start up if they’re in gear as a safety precaution. Double-check that your ride is in park.

Is the kill switch engaged?

OK, though this is the simplest possible answer to your problem, it’s also the most common reason an engine won’t crank up at all. The kill switch, also known as the run switch, should be in the “RUN” or “ON” position. Some ATVs have a kill switch with a tether pull cord, so make sure this is connected correctly before you start taking apart your machine in frustration.

Is the ATV battery dead?

Your ATV won’t start if the battery doesn’t have enough charge. Check the battery using a voltmeter or multimeter. If you’ve somehow completely discharged the battery, you can use a smart battery charger designed for ATVs to bring it back to life. Sometimes, you’ll simply have to replace the battery if it’s past its prime.

Is the ATV solenoid getting power?

When you turn the key or hit the start button, you should hear a clicking sound. This clicking sound is the solenoid, which is a switch used to send current to your starter. If it’s not getting power from the battery, your ATV won’t start.

You’ll find the solenoid near the starter. Connecting a multimeter (red to red, black to ground) to the solenoid will show you whether the solenoid is getting power. If not, and your battery is charged, there’s a problem with the wiring or connections between the battery and the solenoid.

My ATV engine turns over but doesn’t start

If everything above has been taken care of, your ATV engine should turn over. If it turns over but doesn’t start, we should now consider a potential problem with the fuel, spark, or air systems.

Before you leave for a ride, make sure you keep all basic tools and essential spare parts on board. Discover a range of storage options.

Is the ATV engine getting fuel?

Let’s assume your ATV has adequate fuel and the fuel shut-off valve has not been closed off. Find your spark plug, which is usually behind some protective casing. On a carbureted ATV, remove the spark-plug wire, while on a fuel-injected ATV, remove the ignition coil. To take out the spark plug, use a spark-plug removal tool.

Check to see if the spark plug is dry. If so, the fuel isn’t getting to your cylinder. There is a problem either with the fuel pump or the lines between the gas tank and the carb. This will require finding the location of the problem through a process of elimination and then cleaning.

If the problem lies in the fuel intake system, there are different repair steps for carbureted ATVs and electronic fuel injection ATVs. It will be required to consult your manufacturer’s user guide for details on how to repair the fuel filter, fuel pump, or fuel injector.

Is the ATV engine getting enough spark?

If the spark plug is wet, it may still not be getting enough spark. The easiest way to diagnose this is to use an inline spark tester that fits between the spark plug and the coil/wire. Pressing the starter button should cause the test tool to light up, allowing you to eliminate this as the source of the problem.

If the tool shows there’s a problem with the spark, try testing the kill switch with a multimeter, checking for damaged wires, replacing the spark plug. If none of these relatively simple fixes restores the spark, you may have to replace the ignition coil.

Is the ATV getting enough air?

Your gas tank or gas cap will have a small vent for air to enter and escape. As fuel is pumped out of the gas tank, air is pulled in to replace it. If your gas vent is clogged, the fuel pump won’t be able to draw gas from the gas tank.

These are the main reasons an ATV won’t start and how to troubleshoot the issue. Check them all in turn, and you’ll quickly find the root of your problem and have your ATV back on the road in no time.

By popular demand, today’s article is the best deer hunting bows. There are a lot of options out there. Some are fantastic—but others fall short of the mark.

We’ll start with a quick “buying guide” of features you’ll want to keep in mind when selecting a bow, then we’ll jump into our reviews that inspect a range of bows for hunters of all skill levels. We’ll finish off with what we consider to be the best-performing deer hunting bow overall.

Deer Hunting Bows: Quick Picks

Here’s a quick list of the bows we’ll discuss:

TIDEWE Compound Bow: Thanks to its adjustable draw weight and high let-off, it’s a good choice for beginners and experts alike.

PSE Archery Mini Burner RTS Compound Bow Package: We suggest this model for youth who need a smaller bow but still want enough power to hunt with once they learn the ropes.

Diamond Archery Edge 320: With blistering arrow speeds and a quiet shot, this compound bow is a good way to take down that elusive trophy buck.

Bear Archery Cruzer G2: One of our longtime favorites, this Bear model’s lightweight design and adjustable draw weight makes it hard to beat.

Diamond by Bowtech Deploy SB R.A.K.: Our new all-around favorite, this bow has incredible power while still being lightweight and consistent.

How to Select the Right Deer Hunting Bow for You

If you’re new to bowhunting, here are the factors you’ll want to consider when selecting a bow for deer hunting. We’ll start with the first—and perhaps most important—question:

Choose Your Bow: Recurve vs. Compound

This is your first decision when you’re selecting a bow to hunt deer with: do you want a recurve bow or a compound bow?

Generally speaking, more hunters use compound bows to hunt game, and that’s probably a good thing: they’re easier to draw, easier to aim, and they’re usually a lot more powerful than recurve bows. As a result, you can take accurate lethal shots at longer distances and with less practice beforehand. For all these reasons, if you’re new to hunting and looking for a bow, we’d suggest you start with a compound bow.

If you are going to choose a recurve, though, you’ll have fewer features to consider—recurve bows are far simpler than compound bows, and if you have a well-made, quality bow, the main feature you need to think about are the draw weight, partly because in most states, you’ll need a bow with a draw weight of 40 pounds or more hunt game like whitetail deer. You may also consider a bow sight, though many recurve hunters forgo this accessory altogether since they prefer a more bowhunting experience anyway.

A high quality bow with a draw weight of 40 pounds or more and a bow sight (or not!) is all you need to hunt deer with a recurve—but again, if you’re just starting out, we’d urge you to use a compound bow to hunt because they’re easier for new hunters to use, and you’re more likely to put down an animal rather than just wounding it, which is more ethical.

Bottom Line: If you’re new to bowhunting deer, it’s usually better to go with a compound bow, rather than a recurve bow.

For those opting to use a compound bow to hunt deer, here are the features you need to consider:

Sound Quality (The Less, the Better)

Deer are light and agile on their feet, and if they hear a sound they don’t like, they bound away instantly. That’s true for mule deer out west, but it’s especially true for whitetail deer out east.

The first time you see it, you’ll be amazed—aside from being quick, they have excellent hearing.

Consequently, the amount of sound that your bow makes is important. Luckily, this is one of those features that manufacturers have really worked on over the last decade or two—probably because deer hunters kept telling them, “THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO IS MAKE A QUIET BOW”—and we’re happy to announce that all of the bows we review in this post are quiet enough for hunting deer.

Keep in mind that no bow is totally soundless, and there will always be some noise when you release your bowstring and let an arrow fly. That said, the only time your bow may make a loud “twang” or “thwack” sound is if it is improperly tuned (and your local archery shop or range can help you with that), or if there’s a problem with your draw. One good work-around is a string silencer, which can gobble up a lot of the vibration from your string and dramatically quiet things down. We like Limbsaver Dampeners.

Bottom Line: Bows are a lot quieter than they used to be, but higher-end bows are usually quietest; if you’re having noise problems, a sound dampener may do the trick.

Important: Feet per Second (FPS)

Over the last decade or so, you might have noticed that all of the big bow manufacturers have been knocking themselves out to make faster bows. There are a couple main reasons for that.

First, due to physics, for the same arrow weight, a faster arrow speed equates to more kinetic energy on impact. This makes your shots more lethal and more capable of punching through tough tissue like cartilage and even bone.

More importantly, faster arrows mean more accuracy. That’s because they can travel farther for a given amount of drop, so over a fixed distance, say 20 yards, their trajectory will be straighter. That makes it easier to aim, and it increases your accurate range so you have more opportunities when hunting.

Most compound bows have a range of arrow speed from 270 fps on the lower side to about 330 fps on the higher side. You might imagine the arrow speed is vitally important, but it’s not the end-all feature to consider.

For example, if you’re hunting from a tree stand at short range, less than 20 yards, an increase in arrow speed is going to provide a marginal improvement in accuracy. Nonetheless, many hunters sacrifice other important features just to get higher arrow speed.

Arrow speed is more important when hunting long distances since it increases accuracy over a longer range. For this reason, still hunters hunting elk out west may find arrow speed to be their primary concern, but casual whitetail hunters should balance it with other aspects of bowhunting.

Bottom Line: Arrow speed measured in fps is important, especially if you’re hunting over long distances. Nevertheless, you should not prioritize it over other important features.

A Crucial Tool: The Bow Sight

We mentioned traditional archers above, those who shoot game without the use of bow sight. That’s an incredible ability, and it’s important to remember it’s a SKILL. It takes years of practice to aim at a target with the naked eye and hit it. For the rest of us, particularly beginners, that’s where bow sights come in.

Most compounds come with a basic bow sight included, and for the most part, a basic bow sight will do you just fine. As long as it has three pins, you should be able to adjust it to aim at targets up to about 40 yards away, and most hunters seem to set their three-pin bow sights at 20 yards, 30 yards and 40 yards. That’s especially true on the east coast where deer hunting is done in dense forest, so things are a little more “up close and personal.”

If, however, you’re going to be aiming at targets more than 40 yards away—and that happens frequently in the broader expanses of land in the western United States—then it can make sense to get a five-pin bow sight, and set your pins at 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 yards. Remember, though, if you’re shooting at a deer 30 yards away or farther, you want to be very confident in your abilities. There’s a lot that can go wrong aiming at a target that far away, and it’s not ethical to take a shot at that distance if you’re not sure you’re going to hit it.

Bottom Line: A good bow sight is important, and for close-range hunting, a 3-pin sight is usually fine. For longer-range shooting, a 5-pin sight is usually a better idea. Also, remember—if you find a bow you really like but don’t like the bow sight, you can usually replace it with one that you like more.

Axle-to-Axle Length: Not as Important as It Used to Be

For the longest time, bow manufacturers insisted that if you wanted to go hunting, you wanted a shorter bow—one that had a small axle-to-axle measurement. The thinking made sense: bows with shorter axle-to-axle lengths usually shoot faster arrows, and they’re easier to lug through the woods during a hunt, a huge benefit if you’re still hunting and doing a fair amount of walking.

The trade-off, though, is that bows with a shorter axle-to-axle length aren’t as accurate as longer bows. That’s why target archers in competitions tend to have super long bows—they’re easier to hold in a single position, and they can prove to be a little more accurate.

All that said, in our humble opinion, the length of the bow isn’t the most important thing in the world, and if you’re fairly new to bowhunting deer, it might make sense to get a slightly longer bow because it can provide some added stability and aim. If you’re a pro and your marksmanship is on point, a shorter bow with a shorter axle-to-axle length can be a good choice because it can offer a lot of speed.

Bottom Line: If you’re an inexperienced archer, a shorter axle-to-axle length may be challenging and a mid-length bow can be a good bet. If you’re an experienced archer, a shorter bow can provide some extra speed.

Rest: Biscuit vs. Drop-Away

Some bowhunters swear that drop-away arrow rests are the be-all end-all whereas plenty of other bowhunters say a regular old whisker biscuit performs just fine. That’s our experience, too. A drop-away arrow rest offers a little more accuracy because it allows the arrow to be shot without any interference whatsoever, but the truth is, we’ve had no problem maintaining accuracy using a whisker biscuit.

The one verifiable difference is that a whisker biscuit offers better containment for an arrow, so if you let off arrows from all sorts of weird angles—maybe you’re bent over at a weird angle in a thicket, or all wrapped up in a ghillie suit and hunkered down in some brush—a whisker biscuit may be a better choice.

Bottom Line: Either is a good option, but if you find you end up shooting from odd angles and need some arrow containment, a whisker biscuit will hold your arrow steadier as you aim.

Draw Weight and Let-Off: Your Top Priority

This is arguably the most important feature, and we’ve saved it for last: the draw weight of the bow and the let-off of the bow.

In most states, your bow must meet or exceed a minimum draw weight in order for you to hunt game. That makes sense if you think about it because if the draw weight on your bow is too low, your arrows won’t travel with enough force to properly penetrate the animal and put it down humanely. Your bow needs to be strong enough to shoot arrows that will penetrate, and usually, for deer hunting, the minimum draw weight that states require is 40 pounds (although you’ll need to check with your state to make sure).

Here’s what we’d advise: if you’re new to bowhunting, a bow with an adjustable draw weight can be a great feature. You can practice on lower draw weights, gain skill and musculature, and then move up to higher draw weights that’ll send your arrows flying at higher speeds and with more kinetic energy.

If you’re a pro and you’ve been shooting for a number of years, and you know exactly what your draw weight is—and your draw weight meets your state’s minimum requirement for the game that you’ll be hunting—then it can make sense to buy a bow with a set draw weight.

The let-off is important too. When you pull the string of a compound bow all the way back, you’ll feel the draw weight suddenly decrease. That decrease is called let-off, and it’s usually measured as a percentage. If you were pulling a 100-pound compound bow that had 80-percent let-off, when you’re at full draw, the draw weight you will feel will be 20 pounds. 80% of 100 = 80. 100 – 80 = 20.

That’s an important feature when you’re hunting because if you see a deer and pull the bow string back, you might need to wait a little while until you get a clear shot. Having a bow with significant let-off can be a great thing to have, particularly if you’re shooting a high-poundage bow.

Bottom Line: Most compound bows provide significant let-off and should suit most bowhunters; if you’re shooting a bow with a very high draw weight, a high let-off percentage is an important factor.

The Best Deer Hunting Bows: Options We Like

Now that you have a clear idea of what to look for, here are the bows we consider good options for deer hunting:

Best Deer Hunting Bow for Beginners: TIDEWE Compound Bow

Our Verdict: We highly recommend the TIDEWE Compound Bow for beginners because it has a highly adjustable draw weight and high let-off that makes it easy to aim and practice with. However, its power and accessories make it a good model for any whitetail hunter.

Pros:

• Highly adjustable draw weight 0-70 lbs

• Adjustable draw length 18-31 inches

• 315 fps arrow speed

• Let-off up to 80%

• 5-pin sight included

Cons:

• Assembly required

• A little heavy

We like the Tidewe compound bow for deer hunting primarily because of its incredibly adjustable draw weight, one of the most adjustable out there. You can tune it all the way from 0 to 70 lbs.

We really like this for beginners since you can start with a lighter draw weight and practice until you can handle 40 pounds or more for hunting. That said, the high amount of power is great for anybody. It produces arrow speeds of up to 315 fps which gives you good accuracy over a good range as well as penetrating power that increases your chances of a kill.

Additionally, the high let-off of 80 percent helps beginners who might not be used to holding back heavy bowstrings. However, it will help any bowhunter. The lighter the bowstring, the easier it is to hold steadily, and that means a more accurate shot, especially if you have to hold your aim for a while.

The included accessories are great for beginners too, though any bowhunter can benefit. They include a stabilizer and release as well as six carbon arrows. Best of all, you get a five-pin sight. This lets you take advantage of the bow’s speed and power and shoot accurately over a longer range.

Best Deer Hunting Bow for Youth: PSE Archery Mini Burner RTS Compound Bow Package

Our Verdict: Getting the appropriate bow can help youth learn correct archery practices and start bowhunting with the right skills. That’s why we recommend this compound bow and its mid-range draw weight that’s good for learning but still enough for hunting.

Pros:

• Accessible draw weight 5-40 lbs

• Smaller draw length for youth

• Ready-to-shoot package

• Stabilizer included

• Lightweight 2.7 lbs

Cons:

• Only 65% let-off

• Only 3 arrows included

The PSE Mini Burner is perfect for a teenager new to bowhunting because it has a mid-range draw weight. Starting at an easily manageable five pounds, you can still adjust it up to 40 pounds, which is enough to hunt with in most states. In other words, a young archer can start small and work their way up until they’re confident enough to hunt.

Similarly, the draw length is appropriate for an adolescent archer or even a small adult. It’s adjustable as well, from 16 inches to 26.5 inches. This means a young archer can continue to use it even if they’re growing.

One thing to note: the let-off is low, just 65 percent. It’s not much of an issue because the draw weight is low anyway. However, it does mean the bowstring requires 14 pounds of force for 40 pounds of draw weight, so it’s important that a young archer work their way up and not go for high draw weights until they’re ready.

Last of all, the Mini Burner is good for beginners because it comes in a ready-to-shoot package. This means basic accessories are included, such as a three-pin sight, arrow rest, quiver and, best of all, a stabilizer. This way a beginner can hit the range right away without having to worry about finding compatible accessories.

We just wish it came with more than only three carbon arrows. Beginners are likely to lose arrows while hunting or practicing. Plus, the included quiver is extra large with room for five.

Best Deer Hunting Bow for Mature Bucks: Diamond Archery Edge 320

Our Verdict: For dominant mature bucks, you need speed and power as well as stability and silence. That’s why we recommend the Edge 320 and its 85% let-off for taking your trophy this whitetail season.

Pros:

• Quiet shot

• Binary cam system

• Adjustable draw weight 7-70 lbs

• 320 fps arrow speed

• Impressive 85% let-off

• Adjustable draw length 15-31 inches

Cons:

• Slightly heavier than other models

• Limited camo options

If the dominant buck in your area has been giving you the slip season after season, it might be time for a high-quality bow that has a fast but quiet shot that can penetrate his tough body. That’s the Edge 320.

What we really love is the synchronized binary cam system that produces up to 70 pounds of draw weight. That’s a lot of power and can produce arrow speeds up to 320 fps. Bucks are usually pretty suspicious, even in the rut, and you may need a longer shot to take down a mature one. A higher bow speed will help with that.

Similarly, it’s hard to beat the 85-percent let-off. That means you only have to hold around 10 pounds at full draw. Again, due to the intelligence and caution of a mature buck, you need to hold your bow steadily with little motion. The high let-off really helps with that.

A last side note on this bow, it has an adjustable draw length up to 31 inches. That makes it good for taller archers with longer wingspans. Though arm length varies by height, it should likely work for archers up to around 6’3″ unless they have particularly long arms.

Best Deer Hunting Bow Runner Up: Bear Archery Cruzer G2

Our Verdict: A great choice for a hunter looking to commit to bowhunting, it offers a blistering 315 fps of arrow speed along with a four-pin sight for longer-distance shots, and it even has a RockStop string suppressor that dampens sound and vibration during the shot.

Pros:

• Adjustable draw weight 5-70 lbs

• Lightweight at just 3 lbs

• Included string suppressor

• 4-pin bow sight

• 315 fps arrow speed

• Multiple camo options

Cons:

• Needs tuning

• 70% let-off is a bit low

What’s great about the Cruzer G2 is that it fits a wide range of bowhunters. It’s worth looking at regardless of your skill level and whether you’re hunting mature bull elk or small whitetail does. The reason is that the draw weight is highly adjustable, from five pounds to 70 pounds. Tune it as you like to get power, distance, manageability, accuracy, etc.

Additionally, the Bear Cruzer has a few other advantages over other popular models. For example, it produces a maximum arrow speed of 315 fps, and it comes with a four-pin bow sight. Combined, that really allows you to increase your range and push the limits of your current skills.

The only place the Cruzer G2 lags behind is the 70-percent let-off. This isn’t bad, per se, but for a bow of this quality, we’d expect a little more. 70 percent means that with the maximum draw weight, you’ll be holding back 21 pounds on the bowstring. Again, not too bad, but you may find that you can’t hold your aim for as long as you’re used to.

Perhaps our favorite feature, though, and the one that earns the G2 a place amongst the best bows for deer hunting, is the RockStops offset string suppressor. Deer can hear incredibly well and react quickly. A noisy shot could cause a quarry to jump, ruining your shot. Plus, it’ll scare off any other game in the area. The RockStop feature gobbles up a lot of the sound and minimizes that problem.

Finally, we love the wide range of camo options the Cruzer G2 comes in. This helps you blend in in your specific local environment. For example, go with the greener Toxic option if you’re in the south where plants stay green through deer season, but consider TrueTimber Strata if you’re in the Midwest where everything is brown by the rut.

Best Deer Hunting Bow Overall: Diamond by Bowtech Deploy SB R.A.K.

Our Verdict: With eye-popping arrow speed, 80% let-off, and advanced accessories included, it’s our all around favorite bow for hunting deer in any climate or situation.

Pros:

• Lightning-fast 330 fps arrow speed

• Maximum 70 lbs draw weight

• Binary cam system

• 80% let-off

• Advanced accessories included

• Lightweight carbon riser

Cons:

• Top-shelf price

The Deploy SB is an advanced model, and it shot up the list of our favorite deer hunting bows this year because of those advanced features. Admittedly, it’s a pricier compound bow as well, so when considering its power and specialization, it’s best for serious bowhunters who have a few seasons under their belt and know what they’re doing.

First, just consider the lethal power of this bow. You can get it with a maximum draw weight of 70 pounds that produces an arrow speed of 330 fps, one of the fastest you can get on the market today. That means serious kinetic energy and better penetration, even at long distances.

Be aware that this draw weight is not especially adjustable. You can get a version adjustable from 50 to 60 pounds or 60 to 70. Frankly, this is better for experienced archers who consistently use the same draw weight. It means the bow is more structurally sound and likely to last you more seasons. This is in addition to a binary cam system that requires less tuning to remain accurate.

Meanwhile, the let-off is a full 80 percent. Regardless of the draw weight you use, the Deploy SB is much easier to hold at full draw. This gives you a more accurate aim, even if you have to wait a long time for a quarry to come into range or turn for a good shot.

Finally, though this is a top-shelf model with the corresponding price tag, the full “Ready Aim Kill” kit increases the value for your money. This includes accessories like a four-pin sight, brush arrow rest, stabilizer and a quiver with room for five arrows.

Happy Deer Hunting!

As with all our product review posts, we try to educate as we discuss bows, so hopefully there’s something here that will illuminate the art and science of deer hunting. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We’re always open to ideas for new articles and reviews.

As always, be safe, have fun, and happy hunting!

The 6.5 Creedmoor is beloved by many for its long-range shooting capabilities.

However, the 6.8 Western recently emerged as a worthy contender to dethrone the 6.5 as everyone’s favorite cartridge.

Is that possible?

When comparing the 6.8 Western Vs 6.5 Creedmoor, which one comes out on top?

Let’s find out.

6.8 Western Vs 6.5 Creedmoor

The 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge and 6.8 Western cartridge look similar to each other and the 270 WSM; in fact, if you’re not paying close attention, it would be easy to mix them up.

However, don’t let their similar appearances fool you into thinking they perform exactly the same.

We’ll walk through both calibers regarding their performance and specs to decide a winner for each category.

At the end of the article, we will count the winner of each category to determine a winner.

Cartridge Specs

As I mentioned, the 6.8 Western round and 6.5 Creedmoor round have a similar appearance, but there are noticeable differences if you know where to look.

Let’s start with the bullets; the 6.5 Creedmoor uses a .264″ bullet while the 6.8 Western bullet is .277″.

The larger 6.8 Western bullet typically comes in 165-grain – 175 gr. It’s also offered in a 130-grain bullet.

The typical 6.5 Creedmoor bullet ranges in weight from 120 gr to 147gr.

The 6.8 Western has a case length of 2.02″ and a cartridge overall length (COAL) of 2.955″ which is slightly longer than 2.86″, the traditional definition of a short-action rifle cartridge.

The 6.5 Creedmoor has an overall length of 2.825″ with a case length of 1.92″.

The shoulder angler of the 6.8 Western is 35-degree, while the 6.5 Creedmoor is 30-degree.

The 6.5 Creedmoor has a smaller rim diameter of .473″ than the .535″ rim diameter of the 6.8 Western.

It makes sense that the 6.5 Creedmoor has a smaller case capacity of 52.5gr and maximum load pressure (SAAMI) than the 74.0gr of the 6.8 Western. 62,000 psi for the 6.5 Creedmoor and 65,000 psi for the 6.8 Western.

6.8 Western Recoil Vs. 6.5 Creedmoor Recoil

As a young shooter, I was hesitant to shoot a gun with a lot of recoil. As I’ve matured, I have learned to handle the recoil better, although I’m not an expert marksman.

The lighter the recoil the easier it is to be more accurate.

Recoil still matters to me because I enjoy shooting a lot. If I’m at the range, I prefer not to come home with a bruised shoulder.

While I’m hunting, felt recoil doesn’t matter as much because my adrenaline is usually pumping, but I don’t want a rifle that will knock me out of my tree stand! And if you want an enjoyable hunting experience this fall, make sure you stock up on Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammo and bring home the buck of a lifetime.

Felt recoil is determined by several factors, including but not limited to bullet weight, gun weight, recoil pad, and how well you shoulder the rifle.

The 6.8 Western has 30.1 ft-lbs of felt recoil, while the 6.5 Creedmoor only has 15.63 ft-lbs of felt recoil.

The 6.5 Creedmoor nearly has half the recoil of the 6.8 Western, so if you’re sensitive to recoil, the 6.5 Creedmoor is the best option for you.

Trajectory

The bullet trajectory matters because the flatter the bullet shoots, the better for the shooter because the adjustments will be minor compared to a projectile with more drop.

All bullets shoot in an arch because of gravity, but a faster bullet velocity will resist gravity better than a slower bullet so that it will have a flatter trajectory.

The 6.8 Western shoots heavier bullets at a faster velocity than the lighter bullets of the 6.5 Creedmoor, so it has a flatter trajectory.

Zeroed in at 200 yards, the typical 6.8 Western bullet will have a 6.3″ drop at 300yds, 18.1″ drop at 400yds, and 38″ drop at 500yds.

The typical 6.5 Creedmoor bullet zeroed in at 200yds will have 7.9″ of drop at 300yds, 22.4″ of drop at 400yds, and 44.4″ of drop at 500yds.

The winner is the 6.8 Western it has a much flatter trajectory.

Accuracy

Like everything else when shooting, several factors determine the round’s accuracy. The rifle, shooter, recoil, and bullet are contributing factors.

You can take the same rifle but shoot two different brands of ammo from it, and the accuracy will vary.

What I’m saying is that accuracy is a fickle metric.

Both calibers are extremely accurate since both were designed with long-distance shooting in mind.

There will be little difference in accuracy in the hands of a well-trained marksman.

But for the average shooter like myself, the 6.5 Creedmoor will be slightly more accurate than the 6.8 Western because it has less recoil.

The winner by a slight margin is the 6.5 Creedmoor.

Ballistic Coefficient

The ballistic coefficient (BC) measures how well a bullet resists wind drift and air resistance. To say it another way, it’s how aerodynamic a bullet is in numerical form.

High BC bullets are preferred because this means the bullets will resist the wind more.

Generally, heavy bullets will have a higher BC as it takes more force to change the flight of a heavier bullet than a lighter one.

Ballistic coefficient varies from bullet to bullet based on design, weight, and other factors beyond this article’s scope.

Anything over .500 is considered a high ballistic coefficient.

You can generally expect a 6.8 Western 165gr AccuBond Long Range bullet to have a BC of .620. The heavier 170 gr Ballistic Silvertip bullets have a lower BC of .563.

Surprisingly the AccuBond Long Range 142 gr and the Hornady ELD-X 143gr 6.5 Creedmoor bullet have a BC of .625, and the 140gr Ballistic Silvertip has a ballistic coefficient of .509.

The 6.5 Creedmoor has the higher BC, but only slightly.

Stopping Power

Many internet warriors will argue stopping power doesn’t matter, and they’re right, to a point.

A well-placed shot from a small caliber (with little stopping power) can be as effective as a larger caliber.

However, stopping power matters because not every shot is perfectly placed.

Generally speaking, a bigger bullet will leave a bigger hole, so the larger caliber should have more stopping power, but bullet design also plays a role.

A full metal jacket (FMJ) won’t cause as much damage as a jacketed hollow point (JHP).

Stopping power is also determined by how well the bullet penetrates the target. This is often measured as Sectional Density (SD).

Sectional density is the ratio of the diameter of a projectile to its mass.

In theory, a heavier projectile will be longer and have a higher sectional density, meaning it will penetrate further than bullets with less mass and a lower sectional density.

This means that bullets of different weights of the same caliber will have varying sectional densities.

Generally speaking, the 6.8 Western will penetrate further because it has a greater sectional density than the 6.5 Creedmoor.

The 6.8 Western is the winner of this section because it has more stopping power than the 6.5 Creedmoor due to its larger-sized bullets.

Hunting

The 6.8 Western has an advantage here because it was designed as a hunting cartridge; however, don’t discount the effectiveness of the 6.5 Creedmoor as a hunting round.

Both calibers are capable of long-range hunting, so it ultimately boils down to which hunting bullets can be used for the widest variety of species.

Which big game cartridges give you the most bang for your buck? Sorry, I couldn’t resist!

The 6.5 Creedmoor performs best while varmint hunting, whitetail deer hunting, and pronghorn hunting. It can ethically harvest a mule deer, but it’s not recommended to hunt game any larger than deer since it has a small bullet.

The 6.8 Western is capable of ethically harvesting elk. You can use the 6.8 Western while moose hunting, but most hunters prefer a larger caliber because of the increased size of a moose.

The 6.8 Western edges out the 6.5 Creedmoor to win this category of big game hunting.

Home Defense

Unless you’re defending your home from an invading army that’s still a long way off, I wouldn’t recommend these calibers for home defense or self-defense.

These calibers are designed for bolt-action rifles that are not the best for home defense situations.

This is because the bullets will penetrate walls and could harm your family members or neighbors.

They also take a long time to reload and aren’t easy to aim in close quarters.

That’s why I recommend using a 12 gauge or 20 gauge for home defense and a 9mm or .45 Auto for self-defense.

If you only own one gun and it’s chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.8 Western, by all means, use it to defend yourself, but you should understand the risks you’re taking.

This section is a tie. Neither caliber stands out for home or self-defense.

Long-Range Performance

The 6.5 Creedmoor has incredible long-range performance. It’s not even close when we compare the 6.5 Creedmoor vs. 308 Winchester. The 6.5 easily outperforms the 308 in long-distance shooting.

That’s because the 6.5 Creedmoor was designed to outperform the 308. What about the 6.8 Western?

How does it measure up to the 6.5 Creedmoor?

The 6.8 Western outshoots the 6.5 Creedmoor in long distances because it has a flatter trajectory, a heavier bullet that resists wind drift, and more downrange retained kinetic energy.

The 6.8 Western is the best choice for long-range applications.

Ammo Cost & Availability

One of the most important factors to consider before purchasing a firearm is ammo availability and its cost.

If you often enjoy shooting at the range, it’s best to go with the caliber that is more readily available and costs less per trigger pull unless you have a well-stocked trust fund!

The 6.5 Creedmoor is the older round, so more companies manufacture ammo for it, such as Winchester, Hornady, Browning, and Sellier & Bellot.

The cost per round for 6.5 Creedmoor is $1.50 to $2.75.

The 6.8 Western is still a new cartridge and much more difficult to find because not as many manufacturers are making it.

Winchester and Browning are the two primary companies that make ammo for the 6.8 Western.

As of this writing, it will cost around $2.95 to $4.60 per round.

As more companies begin to make this caliber, I suspect the price to drop at least a little due to competition.

The 6.5 Creedmoor wins this category because the ammo is easier to find and less expensive.

Rifle Cost & Availability

Winchester and Browning are currently the only two making rifles chambered in 6.8 Western because they’re the two companies that developed the new cartridge.

This means they set the price for the rifles. Thankfully, they’re reasonably priced.

A Winchester XPR chambered in 6.8 Western will cost $599, which is the same price as the same short-action rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Both calibers in the Model 70 also cost the same, $1,629.

The Browning X-Bolt chambered in 6.8 Western costs $2,699 vs. the 6.5 Creedmoor costing $2,679.

This difference is minor, but the number of companies who make 6.5 Creedmoor firearms compared to the number of companies that make rifles chambered in 6.8 Western is astounding.

Mossberg, Nosler, Ruger, Remington, Springfield Armory, Weatherby, and many more produce rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor.

So the cost of 6.8 Western rifles and 6.5 Creedmoor rifles is nearly the same, but the overwhelming availability of the 6.5 Creedmoor gives it the win in this section.

Reloading

Reloading is one of the best ways to save money on ammo.

Most shooters prefer to handload because it gives them the greatest control over the final product.

Once you figure out what bullet works best with the twist rate in your barrel and the powder brand that burns cleanest, you can fine-tune each round for optimum performance.

You can control the controllable variables instead of being at the mercy of mass-produced factory loads.

Both calibers can be reloaded; however, since the 6.5 Creedmoor is the older round, more information is available.

Plus, the reloading supplies are easier to find because more people reload this caliber.

Keep in mind this also means there’s a higher demand for all the supplies, so they will be some of the most difficult to find when supplies are low.

As the 6.8 Western grows in popularity, the information will become more available, as will the reloading supplies.

Until then, the 6.5 Creedmoor wins this round.

6.8 Western Vs 6.5 Creedmoor Ballistics

The ballistics of both calibers are similar because they’re intended to be used in comparable scenarios.

However, they are not precisely the same, so the team at ammo.com made a ballistics chart for the 6.5 Creedmoor, and I found some ballistics data on the 6.8 Western.

6.8 Western Ballistics

The muzzle velocity of a 165gr Nosler AccuBond Long Range 6.8 Western bullet is 2,970 Feet Per Second (fps).

At a 200-yard zero, the 6.8 Western bullet will drop 6.3″ at 300yds, 18.1″ at 400yds, and 38″ at 500yds.

Obviously, this information will change as the variables and conditions change, but this will give you a good idea of where to begin.

6.5 Creedmoor Ballistics Chart

Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and only for informational purposes. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.

6.8 Western Development

The 6.8 Western traces its roots to the .270 Winchester Short Magnum (WSM) released in 2002 and its parent cartridge, the 270 Winchester.

The .270 WSM fell short in a few key areas, primarily the lack of twist rate in the rifle barrels, so Winchester and Browning teamed up to improve it with a new cartridge that could handle a faster twist.

They accomplished their goals with the 6.8 Western and released it in 2021. Initially, they received a lot of criticism for introducing a new caliber instead of increasing the production of their other calibers because they were struggling to keep up with demand.

However, that criticism has subsided, and the popularity of the 6.8 Western is beginning to rise amongst long-range shooters and hunters.

6.5 Creedmoor Development

The 6.5 Creedmoor was created out of necessity. In 2005 Dennis Demille was approached by several competition shooters complaining about the unreliability of their guns and 6mmXC ammo.

So he talked with his friend Dave Emary, Hornady Manufacturing’s senior ballistician, who told Demille to make a list of what he wanted from a new cartridge.

Demille came back with his list-

1. The cartridge must be able to fit into a magazine for the rapid-fire stages of the competition.
2. Less recoil than a 308 Winchester for better follow-up shots and shooter comfort during rapid fire.
3. Flatter trajectory than a 308 with an accurate, high BC bullet.
4. Good barrel life.
5. Uses readily available reloading components so results can be duplicated.
6. Reloading recipes printed on the box.
7. Produced in quantities that could keep up with demand.

In 2007, Hornady debuted the 6.5 Creedmoor. At first, most people were skeptical of the round, believing it to be too small for hunting and not enough power for long-range competitions.

It didn’t take long for the nay-sayers to become fans, and the rest is history.

Parting Shots

If my math is correct, the 6.5 Creedmoor won 6/11 categories, making it the winner by a narrow margin.

I think it is pretty apparent that both calibers are highly effective rounds, and neither would be a terrible choice for long-range shooting.

However, when it comes to the 6.8 Western vs 6.5 Creedmoor, the lesser recoil of the 6.5 Creedmoor gives it an edge for most people.

If you’re a big game hunter, the 6.8 Western is the way to go.

I can confidently say the 6.5 Creedmoor is not obsolete.

Writer Kevin Reese puts the Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS through its paces. Verdict? Worth it.

The Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS I tested was manufactured by Browning in Viana, Portugal, and like all performance rifles, it begins with great bones.

Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS Review

The Model 70 Extreme Weather SS boasts a Bell & Carlson stock constructed via a “hand lay-up” process in which each composite ingredient is meticulously applied. Internal to the stock is an aluminum bedding block system designed to ensure the barreled action remains perfectly stable, balanced, and bedded for exceptional accuracy.

The Winchester Model 70 Extreme’s action and barrel form the backbone of the rifle’s performance. As a starting point, both components consist of stainless steel with a rich matte finish. True to desirable pre-1964 Model 70s, today’s iterations feature Winchester’s iconic claw extractor with controlled-round feed and a three-position safety. The safety’s middle position allows the bolt to be cycled while still on safe—perfect to safely check if a rifle is unloaded.

The Model 70 Extreme’s 26-inch .300 Win. Mag. barrel is fluted and free-floating with a 1:10 twist, recessed crown to protect rifling, and is capped by a pepperbox-style muzzle brake. The assembled barreled action delivers the consistent sub-MOA accuracy hunters demand and reliability they can trust. Additional features include precision-machined bottom metal with a hinged-plate magazine and Winchester’s M.O.A. Trigger.

Trigger Time

For testing, I used a Brownells Model 70 Long-Action single-piece scope base and Accu-Tac’s medium-height, 30mm scope rings. On top, I mounted a Sightmark Citadel 3-18×50 LR2 first-focal-plane riflescope with a mil-dash reticle and .1-MRAD turret adjustments. Underneath, I employed a Firefield Stronghold 6-9-in. bipod and my trusty Tactical Tailor squeeze bag. For ammo, I chose Black Hills Ammunition’s 212-grain ELD-X.

With the rifle setup for hunting conditions, I headed to the Arlington Sportsman Club, a local shooting range on the western edge of Mansfield, Texas. To begin, I visually boresighted to a paper target just 50 yards away, made quick adjustments, settled down behind the rifle, and squeezed the trigger. Up front, the trigger seemed a tad stiff, but the shot rang out sooner than I expected. My first lesson—the trigger has short travel and is incredibly crisp. I had expected a longer pull, and it felt as though it hovered around 3 lbs. Later testing with a Wheeler gauge resulted in a 20-pull average break-weight of 3 lbs., 6.8 oz.

At 100 yards, I employed my LabRadar chronograph and shot for groups. The Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS and Black Hills Ammunition’s 212-grain ELD-X .300 Win. Mag. ammo did not disappoint! I managed a .585-MOA 5-shot group. Soon after, I also scored a .75-MOA at 200 yards. Black Hills Ammunition’s ballistic data was equally impressive. Average muzzle velocity was 2810 fps with a standard deviation of 9.7. Extreme spread was 31, and muzzle energy was 3718 ft.-lbs.

The Final Shot

With the Model 70 Extreme’s Pachmayr Declerator buttpad and muzzle brake, recoil was quite manageable, even comfortable for the caliber size and lighter rifle weight. Loaded, with a riflescope, the Model 70 Extreme SS weighs about 10 pounds.

Empty, the rifle weighs seven pounds four ounces. Considering shooting and carrying comfort, as well as accuracy and the Model 70’s proven reliability, I’m a big fan of the Winchester 70 Extreme Weather SS.

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