Shotguns deliver a solid bang! for your buck and are one of the most popular home defense choices today. Shotguns are simple, affordable, and typically extremely reliable. While there are many different types, the classic pump-action is likely the one that comes to mind most often when people hear the word shotgun. The Winchester SXP Defender was often recommended to me over the years. When an opportunity to pick up an SXP came along, I eagerly opened my wallet.

Unboxing

Unboxing the SXP when I got home was a quick process and revealed basic packaging. It came in a branded Winchester cardboard box with a Styrofoam insert to hold the shotgun in place. Aside from the shotgun, there was a lock, manual and plug in case you need to limit your capacity for hunting.

Everything was secured nicely in its own cut out within the Styrofoam that kept it safe in transit. I would’ve liked to see a basic soft case to be included — as a minimum — but it was not a deal breaker.

Winchester SXP Features

“The SXP is exactly what I was looking for and nothing more.” That was the thought that crossed my mind when after unboxing the SPX, shooting it, and reflecting on the experience. I wanted something relatively lightweight, with a shorter barrel for home defense purposes, a total capacity of at least six shells, and the availability of plenty of aftermarket accessories. Check, check, check, and… check.

The chamber and bore are both hard chrome-plated to reduce wear and corrosion. The SPX comes standard with a fixed cylinder choke. For those of you who prefer to run a scope or red dot on your shotgun, the alloy receiver is drilled and tapped to easily add your scope bases. The Winchester SPX features a standard brass bead front sight, drop-out trigger group, and crossbolt safety placed at the front of the trigger guard for easy access.

Specifications

Gauge: 12Capacity: 5+1Action: Pump Overall Length: 38 ½ inchesSights: Bead Front SightChamber: 3 inches (accepts 3-inch and 2 ¾-inch shells)Magazine Type: TubularBarrel Length: 18 inchesWeight: 6 pounds, 8 ounces

Range Thoughts: Handling and Reliability

One of the most enjoyable aspects about this gun was the smoothness of the action. Since it’s inertia-assisted, follow-up shots were quick and simple.

The texture on the stock and ribbing on the forearm were just enough to assist with a secure grip if your hands got wet, without being gritty and uncomfortable. The recoil pad was sufficient, but I would’ve appreciated a little bit more recoil absorption.

Short shooting sessions would not have been an issue, but for testing, I put a lot of rounds through it. With that being said, for hunting scenarios or normal shotgun range time , I think it would be more than adequate.

From a reliability standpoint, I had very few issues. Over the last four range trips, I put a total of 250 rounds downrange at both indoor and outdoor ranges, with temperatures down to the single digits. Out of the 250 rounds used for the test, 100 were various buckshot rounds, 100 were various birdshot rounds, and 50 were slugs.

I wound up experiencing two failures, both of which were failures to eject and near the tail end of the 250. Perhaps it was operator error. I can not say for sure whether I short-stroked the gun, so I hate to blame the gun.

The accuracy was as expected from an 18-inch 12 gauge. For my original accuracy test, I chose to use #4 buckshot, from 15 to 75 feet at 15-foot intervals. Of course, the groupings spaced out after 30 feet as expected. For the most part, within 45 feet, the “intruder” would be getting hit with most, if not all, of the pellets.

Winchester SXP: Final Thoughts

The Winchester SXP Defender is a solid, entry-level 12 gauge shotgun with plenty of after-market accessories to take it to the next level. Given its combination of reliability and affordability, I would recommend at least checking it out, if you are in the market for a new shotgun. I’ve been having a blast, pun intended, shooting the SXP and think you will too.

Have you had the chance to shoot the Winchester SXP Defender? Share your review and experiences in the comment section.

Bio: Ryan Domke is a freelance writer, photographer, and social media consultant with a passion for guns and tactical gear. He works with some of the largest manufacturers in the firearms industry, allowing him the opportunity to continuously learn from and knowledge share with the 2A community.

When he’s not spending time with his family, you’ll likely find him at the range or starting a new DIY project. If you’d like to check out some of his other content, you can find him on Instagram at (@TheGuyGearReview).

by B.B. Pelletier

Before we start, I have another plug about the Friday Facebook event from 10 to 11 a.m., Eastern. I’ll be answering airgun questions on Facebook on this Pyramyd AIR Facebook page. To see the discussion, you must have a free Facebook account. You do not have to be a recognized Friend of Pyramyd AIR to ask a question.

If you want to set up a Facebook account, register on the link provided above. Once you have an account, sign in and then click on the link above once more to go to the page. Please join me on Friday, if you’re able!

Today, I want to explore some of the basic facts about precharged pneumatic operations, because I sense the time is right. Let me begin with the term precharged pneumatic.

What is a precharged pneumatic airgun?A precharged pneumatic (PCP) is an airgun that is filled with air and then shot many times before refilling. Compare that to a multi-pump pneumatic that is pumped many times by a built-in pump and then fired just once. To take another shot, the multi-pump has to be pumped up all over again.

Big boresHow many shots each precharged pneumatic gets on a single fill of air depends on just one thing: How much of the stored air is used for each shot? Big bore airguns use incredible amounts of air and, therefore, get very few shots per fill. A Quackenbush .457 Long Action rifle gets two good shots per fill; on mine, the max fill pressure is 3,500 psi. After the second shot, the gun is down to 2,200 pounds per square inch (psi). My rifle gets about 560 foot-pounds of muzzle energy on the first shot and 490 foot-pounds on shot two.

A .50-caliber Career Dragon Slayer can get 5 good shots on a 3,000 psi fill. That rifle generates just under 200 foot-pounds on the first shot and drops off to about 120 foot-pounds by the final shot. And, once again, the pressure in the reservoir will be down to somewhere around 2,000 psi when you’re finished. Exactly where it will be depends on how many shots have been fired.

That should answer another question that’s often asked: Should you get a scuba tank or a hand pump to fill a big bore? The answer is “neither.” To fill a big bore airgun, you really need a carbon fiber tank. I will explain all of this, but right now I need to back up, because this is report is supposed to be basic.

What is a hand pump?A modern high-pressure hand pump is a mechanical pump that enables a shooter to fill a pressure vessel with air compressed to a very high level by muscle power, alone. Being mechanical, the pump requires effort; and, as the pressure increases, the pumping effort increases with it. From zero up to somewhere above 1,500 psi, the effort is relatively easy and most able adults will have no difficulty pumping. Above about 1,500 psi is where the effort starts to become noticeable. When I say that, I shudder because people come in all shapes and sizes and there is no such thing as a standard person. So, perhaps I should say that above 1,500 psi is where I begin to notice an increase in effort. I once watched an adult woman struggle to pump over 1,600 psi, so please take what I say in that light.

Also, hand pumps fill guns slowly. Think of this. At the tire store the hydraulic lift hoists your car rapidly and with great ease. Now, you try to do the same thing at home with a hydraulic hand pump bought at the hardware store. It goes a little slower, wouldn’t you say? That is the difference between filling an airgun from a tank and filling it from a hand pump. If all you need to do is change one flat tire, a hydraulic hand pump is a great little tool. But if you’re running a tire store, you want to have five or six bays, each with its own hydraulic lift. If you’re going to be a serious PCP shooter, you will need serious air.

It can take 100 to 150 pump strokes of a hand pump to fill a big bore air rifle reservoir. It all depends on the size of the rifle’s reservoir.

A big bore gets two to five shots from a fill and drops down to 2,200 psi in the reservoir, then it has to be filled up to between 3,000 and 3,500 psi to shoot again. That happens to be the hardest place for a hand pump to operate; and if it takes 100-150 pumps to refill the gun, what do YOU think about using a hand pump on a big bore? Maybe, only if it’s your absolute last alternative? And, yes, I have done it a couple times.

Refilling a smallbore PCPA smallbore air rifle comes in any of four calibers: .177, .20. .22 or .25. While there are still a great differences among these guns in the amount of air they use per shot, none of them uses anywhere near the amount used by a big bore. So, a smallbore gets many more shots per fill than a big bore. The most powerful guns of the bunch get the fewest number of shots because they use the most air. The AirForce Condor is one of the most powerful factory-made smallbores and has a special valve to extract the maximum number of powerful shots per fill. It also has one of the largest air reservoirs on the market. A Condor can get about 20 shots on a single fill when the power is set to its maximum.

Stepping down in power to an Air Arms S410, you may get up to about 35 or even 45 shots on full power. The actual number depends on the distance at which you’re shooting and the velocity variation you can tolerate. Given that many shots, a hand pump may be a viable option for the shooter who is in shape, doesn’t mind a little work and takes a while to shoot all those shots.

But in 2008, Benjamin brought out the Discovery rifle. It’s a low-cost PCP that operates on just 2,000 psi. It’s much easier to fill from a hand pump than most of the guns on the market. The Discovery gets about 25 shots from its fill. Not only is the work easier, but there are also a decent number of shots when you’re done. The Discovery is a PCP that’s designed to be filled by a hand pump. But if you use a scuba tank to fill one, you’ll still be able to fill your Discovery all the way after other PCPs have drained the tank to the point that it needs to be refilled. That’s another bonus.

A scuba tankWe talk about scuba tanks as though they are all the same, and they aren’t. They come in different sizes and have different fill pressures, all of which affects the amount of air they contain. One very common scuba tank is an aluminum 80-cubic-foot tank. That means that the tank holds 80 cubic feet of air, not that the tank has an internal volume of 80 cubic feet. Since air compresses, what they are talking about is the number of cubic feet of air at sea-level pressure that is being filled into the tank. Since this particular scuba tank is rated to 3,000 psi, it can hold 80 cubic feet of sea-level air, when that air is compressed to 3,000 pounds per square inch (psi).

The pressure of air at sea level is about 14.56 psi. That number divides into 3,000 just about 206 times, so each cubic foot of air is being compressed about 206 times to get 80 of them into this scuba tank. By the way, that’s where the pressure unit bar comes from. So, 206 bar equal 3,000 psi.

There are other types of scuba tanks. I have a couple little ones that hold only 6 cubic feet of air at 3,000 psi. They’re used just to top off a gun during a match or when hunting. There are 120 cubic-foot, 3,500 psi steel tanks that aren’t much larger than an 80 cubic-foot aluminum tank. Because they’re steel, they hold higher pressure safely, so the same volume holds half again as much air (120 cubic-feet compared to 80 cubic-feet). I used to own a scuba tank that held air pressurized to only 2,200 psi. It was useless for filling most PCPs, with the exception of the Benjamin Discovery. So, don’t think that all scuba tanks are the same.

Carbon fiber tanksA carbon fiber tank is a breathing tank that is not for underwater. They’re used mostly by rescue workers such as firefighters. Like scuba tanks, they also come in sizes, although their fill pressures tend to not vary as much. An 88 cubic-foot, 4,500 psi carbon fiber tank holds only 8 cubic-feet more air than an 80 cubic-foot scuba tank, but it does so with a very important difference. Since the carbon fiber tank is pressurized to a higher level than a scuba tank, it has more high-pressure air available. Consequently, there are a great many more full fills for any given gun in one of these carbon fiber tanks than in a scuba tank. You might be able to fill a PCP to 3,000 psi two times from a 3,000 psi scuba tank, and after that the next fill might end at 2,975 psi. After that you’ll stop at 2,925 psi, then 2,850 psi and so on.

But, a carbon fiber tank that’s pressurized to 4,500 psi will continue to fill a PCP to 3,000 psi many times. Perhaps, as many as 18-20 times, depending on the gun. So, we say the carbon fiber tank has about nine times more full fills in it than in a typical scuba tank. That’s why the carbon fiber tank is so valuable.

Carbon fiber tanks have an aluminum bladder inside the carbon-fiber winding. Since the carbon fiber strengthens the bladder so much, the aluminum can be thinner and yet withstand even greater pressure. Therefore, an 88 cubic-foot carbon fiber tank weighs only about half as much as a scuba tank. That’s a lot more full fills for your guns at half the weight. What’s not to like? Well, there’s the additional cost of the more expensive carbon fiber tank; but if you can get past that, there are very few reasons not to get one.

Why higher air pressure doesn’t make your PCP shoot any fasterThink of a PCP gun as a car. Put in the correct fill, let’s say 3,000 psi, and the gun shoots fine. As the pressure drops it still shoots fine because that is how it is engineered to operate. Fill a car with gas and it will go far and fast. But, try though you might, you cannot put in five more gallons of gas than the tank is designed to hold. Even if you could, the car would still go the same speed. It’s not designed to go any faster.

Put a longer barrel on a PCP and it probably will shoot faster, just as taller tires will make a car go faster. But there are limits. Too long a barrel is ungainly, just as too-tall tires handle poorly.

How many shots can I get?This question commonly comes from someone who is looking at their first purchase of a PCP with the same enthusiasm as an insurance underwriter looks at smokers’ lives. Do you want the baritone to sing a moving song or are you just interested in how much of the alphabet he can burp?

What I mean by that is this. Shooting accurate shots is a goal. Hunting with clean kills is a goal. Shooting a PCP for as long as it will still poop out a pellet is a college prank. There’s no useful purpose to that number, but a nickel-sized 75-yard group is appreciated by everybody. Find out what the gun you want will really do by asking those who really do it on a regular basis. Forget the online wizards with their tin-can technology and witches-brew lubricants that promise you Nirvana for $89, plus shipping.

Now, it’s time for all of you readers who are prospective first-time buyers of precharged airguns to do your part. I really want to hear your questions about PCP guns, Don’t worry about embarrassing yourselves because you don’t know everything. Around here, we wait until you’re an old hand and comfortable with us before we start embarrassing you.

It’s not uncommon to find gold in the mountain streams and rivers of the Appalachian mountains, but many anglers venture into these hills in search of a different kind of gold.

The golden rainbow trout is one of the most unique fish in North America and has captured the attention of anglers for more than half a century.

These fish are also known as “bananas” or “lightning trout”, and they are known for their distinctive bright yellow coloration. This golden coloring comes from breeding a West Virginia rainbow trout with a classically colored rainbow trout to create this striking hybrid.

Palomino Trout or Golden Rainbow Trout

Their origins can be traced back to the Mountain State of West Virginia, and they are vastly different in appearance from any other fish you’ll find in the state. The emergence of the golden rainbow trout began in 1955 when workers at a fish hatchery noticed a unique fish that stood out from the rest.

The hatchery-raised rainbow trout, but this one bright fish appeared quite different. Instead of having the same pigmentation as a regular rainbow trout, the trout’s body color was bright yellow. This was due to an extremely rare genetic mutation that normally pigmented rainbow trout do not possess.

Palomino Trout vs Rainbow Trout

This one fish was taken and studied by scientists who worked to produce a new species of golden trout through selective breeding with typical rainbow trout. By selectively breeding this single rainbow trout, the golden rainbow trout originated and has since become one of the most sought-after trout species in fly fishing.

Through these cross breed species of such bright fish, biologists have gone on to produce vast numbers of self-sustaining populations in small creeks throughout North America. The golden rainbow trout or palomino trout has now become one of the most popular trophy fish in the country.

It’s one of the most famous trout species in sport fishing or fly fishing and is sought by nearly every avid angler with a fly rod. From one single fish in West Virginia, an entirely new cross breed has emerged and is bred and sold from fish hatcheries all throughout the United States.

The golden rainbow trout is a beautiful fish that’s known by a number of different names, such as the palomino trout, palomino rainbow trout, golden rainbow, banana trout, golden trout, golden rainbows, and lightning trout. They are also sometimes even called swimming bananas.

Palomino Trout Facts

This article covers all the facts and information you need when it comes to fishing for golden rainbow or palomino trout.

Where to Find Palomino Trout

Palomino trouts have been stocked from various fish hatcheries throughout West Virginia and other states in the eastern part of the country. They are now commonly found in West Virginia and have self-sustaining populations of palomino trout all throughout the Great Lakes region and even the Pacific Northwest.

Golden rainbow trout can usually be caught in most areas where you might expect to find other trout, especially brown trout, brook trout, lake trout, and even salmon species like cutthroat trout. Palomino trout are capable of living their entire life in the wild and can reproduce, unlike other hybrid species like tiger trout.

Palomino Trout Characteristics

Palomino trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita) are very similar in their physical appearance to other trout species. Despite being such bright fish, their physical traits – skin color aside – look almost indistinguishable from that of brook trout and regular rainbow trout, as well as brown trout.

Golden rainbow trout, much like rainbow trout and brown trout, will develop a large hooked jaw as they mature. Like other trout, palomino trout have a similar adipose fin, which is found between the dorsal fin and the caudal fin, or tail.

Golden trout are known for having white-colored edges around their dorsal fin, lateral fin, and anal fins. Like rainbow trout, palomino trout also have dark green coloring along the top of their backs. Palomino trout are known to have intersecting horizontally-aligned ovals that are known as parr marks. These fish also sport dark spots along their backs and sides as well.

The palomino trout is known to have red horizontal marks along their lateral line, which is very similar to rainbow trout, which they are closely related to, and also have a purple or reddish lateral line. The belly of golden trout can be a pink or orange color, which becomes more vibrant in spawning males.

Palomino trout are known to grow much larger and faster than regular rainbow trout due to hybrid vigor, which is also known as heterosis. Hybrid vigor is an enhanced function of the palomino trouts’ biological systems as a result of hybrid breeding.

The world record palomino trout is a Pennsylvania fish that weighed 13 lbs, 8 ounces. The fish was caught in Mahoning Creek, Pennsylvania. The population of golden trout in Mahoning Creek is higher in concentration than in any other stream in the world.

How to Catch Palomino Trout

The best method of catching palomino trout is virtually the same techniques you might employ for targeting rainbow trout or brook trout, and even lake trout. They are known to feed voraciously on salmon eggs and, like other species of trout, will strike at many different types of flies and spinner lures.

Palomino trout are known to be much harder to catch than rainbow trout, brook trout or brown trout, but this is mainly thought to be due to the fact that they get more pressure. Like tiger trout, golden rainbow trout are easily spotted in any stream, which means anglers will be able to see them (particularly if using polarized fishing sunglasses) and cast to them effectively.

Catching Palomino Trout on the Fly

The techniques and presentations you might use to catch palomino trout are virtually the same as what you might use for rainbow trout or other species. Some anglers in states like West Virginia have learned that these fish are so highly targeted by other anglers that they have to resort to using flies or nymphs that are very different than what they might normally cast at native brook trout or rainbows.

You’ll want to use dry flies for palomino trout much like you would any other species. It’s also a good idea to fish with streamers that are different than what other anglers are throwing, as the palomino trout in any stream might take an interest in different colors that they are not so used to seeing.

This is a great strategy for states such as West Virginia, where palomino trout are very highly-pressured. The only way to guarantee that you’ll have a greater chance of catching palomino trout when fishing in a popular area is to get to the best locations as early as possible, right before the fish are stocked.

Catching Palomino Trout on Lure

Many anglers that fish for lake trout often use various lures to catch them. Although there are not any known palomino trout in the Great Lakes, you can catch them in some lakes throughout this area. It’s best to use lures like worms or insects to catch palomino trout in lakes as well as streams.

“So, I guess here it is, we’ll just announce the 2022 flagship right now. The all-new 2022 (******) from Mathews!” This is how we ended the 2021 Mathews V3 review. There’s no crystal ball, no palm reading, or tarot cards. For a few years I wondered just how Mathews could keep improving? Over the last few years though, they have made it easy to predict the future. Not the specifics, just the fact that they aren’t sitting back waiting. Year after year, they are innovating, proving, and advancing technology. This year’s flagship, the V3X, is no different.

The V3X stage is set on the Proving Ground, which you can watch here.

Mathews V3X Review

Like the 2021 V3, this year’s V3X has many of the tried and true features. The Integrate MX dovetail rest mount, Center Guard cable system, Switch Weight modules, and CrossCentric Cams are a few of the more prominent things to carry over. More info here.

New for the V3X, and visibly hard to miss, is the Bridge-Lock Sight technology. This allows dovetail sights to be mounted directly through the riser. This eliminates the external mounting bracket, creating a cleaner look, improved balance, less hand shock, and a more compact profile. This feature is compatible with all dovetail sight brands that I have tried, and don’t fear-the V3X is still compatible with all external sight mounts as well.

Mathews LowPro Quivers

In conjunction with the Bridge-Lock, next in line are the new LowPro quivers. These are designed around the geometry of the V3X. Moving the sight to the center of the riser allowed the engineers to bring the fixed and detachable versions over 50% closer to the riser. These are more precise and fit tighter, helping keep the streamlined balance position that Mathews is creating. Like previous models, the LowPro series is available in both one and two-piece versions. More information can be found here.

Mathews Stay Afield System

One of the biggest fears of backcountry hunters, and those who travel across the U.S and the World, is having a mishap during the hunt. Losing a peep or needing to fix strings and cables on the fly isn’t a worry anymore. With specially modified cams and this bow-specific set of cables, the Stay Afield System is the new lightweight bow kit that will save more than one hunt this fall. At less than ½ ounce, this is a must-have. You can learn more about the system here.

29″ and 33″ ATA Options

Like the V3, the V3X is available in two lengths. 29” and 33’’, so slightly longer than the V3 was. It is available in draw weights of 5lb increments, and draw lengths of ½-inch increments.

Mathews V3X Setup and Testing

Similar to last year I received the review bow in late October, while I was out on other hunts. Like a kid at Christmas, it’s always exciting to see what Mathews put together. It didn’t take long to get the box ripped open, and begin setup.

The setup was fast and super simple. I was able to slide in my HHA Tetra Max dovetail bar and lock it into the Bridge-Lock-such a simply ingenious system. Within another 15-20 minutes, I was able to get the rest, loop, and peep sight all tied in. It was time to fling a few arrows to get sighted in and feel this bow’s shot sequence for the first time.

Like normal, I measure and eye everything close, then go to 5 yards and shoot one arrow. Then I make adjustments, and then another arrow at 10 yards. I make that set of adjustments and shoot another at 20 yards. At this point, I am pretty dialed. I’ll then shoot three arrows at distances out to 50. When comfortable, I’ll dial 60 yards and shoot that until I’m confident enough to pick my sight tape.

On this particular day, I didn’t have a lot of time, but I was able to get 20 arrows in, and was comfortably hitting 4” circles at 50 yards, with broadheads. So slightly over an hour after unboxing, I was headed to the tree stand. I was particularly excited. This was only my second sit in Wisconsin, I had a brand-new rig, and I would only have one more sit after this one before the rifle season opened.

The Real Test

That sit was uneventful, and the following morning I had commitments that kept me out of the tree until 2:00 that afternoon. It wasn’t much after 2:00, though, when I could see a doe feeding my direction through the oak trees. Within 20 minutes she was at about 30 yards and I started preparing for the shot. Over the years I have come up with a very specific shot sequence, it’s become second nature; automatic if you will. Anytime anything in that equation changes, things aren’t as fast, and become less automatic.

With a new rig in my hand, I was now drawn and working through each step of the process when I heard the crunching of leaves behind and below the doe. In seconds, I could see the flash of brown and shine of antler as this buck worked his way up towards us. Within seconds he spotted the doe, grunted, and began trotting towards her. She bolted away from us and then made a loop around. This path had her coming directly under me. I drew again, and as he took a shortcut, it put him on a line 24 yards in front of me-and wide open. With two loudmouth grunts, he came to a stop and I was able to get through the process, sending an Iron Will Solid through both shoulders. He only went 25-yards.

That Was Fun, Now Back to the Bow

Being new, and not totally second nature, I took a little more time with the shot process. When the shot broke, three things came to mind immediately. Wow, that was quiet, literally almost silence, other than the arrow smashing through the buck. I felt no hand shock, barely any bow movement, and lastly, it hammered him!!

Specs from the website:

• Brace Height 6.5” (6” on the 29” ata)
• IBO Rating up to 336 FPS
• Axle to axle available in 29”and 33”
• Draw Weight available in 60/65/70/75
• Let-Off 80 or 85%
• Weights of 4.67# and 4.47# for 33” and 29” respectively
• MSRP $1299

Once again I used the Mathews Bow Builder for custom strings, cables, and accessories. I chose the new Granite finish, which I really like. I use an HHA Tetra Max dovetail with this, a two-piece low-profile quiver, and outfit it with a Jakt Gear bow and wrist sling.

Conclusion

My final thoughts on this bow are incredible. As I alluded to in the hunt recap, it is unbelievably quiet, and the bow movement upon shot release is almost nonexistent. It’s honestly hard for me to believe. It’s got a solid back wall, the balance is tight, and it is the nicest bow I’ve ever shot. Start building yours here.

I do have to be very careful when I’m at the back wall, it seems ready to take off at any point if I relax at all. More time with it will be the only way to see how it works out.

The only other thing to watch is the LoPro quivers. They will mount and fit with a sight that is mounted externally, but you will lose a couple of the arrow slots, as the arrows would hit the sight mount if mounted externally.

I’ll reiterate, how amazingly quiet this bow is. I can see this being a big advantage in certain situations like jumpy whitetails, western antelope, and longer-distance shooting at some animals. Less noise should hopefully keep those edgy animals from jumping the string so much.

I’ve shot almost every Mathews built since the early 1990s. It’s an amazing company (and just an hour from my house.) Just like about anyone else, I have the ability to shoot a bow from any bow manufacturer that I like-and I do every year from many companies to stay in the loop and formulate honest opinions. And I still keep coming back to Mathews. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a 29” version to see how it shoots…and even more looking forward to seeing what the 2024 Mathews will bring to the table…stay tuned.

Comment on this review or ask Les questions here.

More archery content available here.

The right panfish rod and reel is a conduit to the underwater world. Anglers often talk about rod tips, as the connection to lure and biting fish. But truly, the tip is no more important than the line, reel, or other aspects of the tool. Trouble is, the difference between a mismatch and a perfect fit can be subtle, even elusive. You can’t always put your finger on it, but when all the pieces — rod, reel, line, lure — fall into place, you know it.

The Dock Shooter

Some of the biggest sunfish and crappies I’ve caught in recent seasons have been taken by skipping baits below boat docks and other overhanging cover. The rod I use is a 6-foot 6-inch Cabela’s Fish Eagle II (GSII662-2) coupled with a Shimano Sedona 1000FD. The reel’s loaded with 4- or 6-pound braid with an 18-inch fluorocarbon leader.

Its length and soft action match my style of skipping tubes and other softbaits. Other anglers prefer short “shooting” rods coupled with underspin reels, such as the Pflueger Trion Spincast and 6-pound-test mono. The 4-foot 5-inch B’n’M Sharpshooter is a popular option. Anglers grip the back of the lure, loading the rod and pointing the tip toward its target. With a finger on the reel’s trigger, they release lure and trigger simultaneously, shooting the bait well beneath the cover. It’s a method I have yet to master. But watching a shooting specialist, such as Ohio crappie pro Russ Bailey extract slabs from 20 feet back under a pontoon boat, makes a convincing case.

Classic Jig Pitcher

My affection for working diminutive hair jigs and plastics goes back three decades. Even today, it’s hard to outdo a black curlytail grub and 1/32-ounce jig on 2-pound-test mono. In the early years, my favorite rods were a St. Croix Premier (PS66LF) and a Cabela’s Fish Eagle (GS702), models that still sell well.

These 6-foot 6-inch to 7-foot, long-handled, light-power rods enabled me to fling tiny 1/80- to 1/16-ounce jigs for distance. No question that longer — light rather than ultralight — rods cast farther, line and reel being equal. But it’s more than length. The tip section, that is, the final quarter of the blank on the Premier, is soft enough to provide a fast catapult. With a limp 2- or 3-pound-test monofilament coursing through the guides, even a 1/64-ounce jig feels substantial as it hangs from the tip. Done right, a rapid 2-o’clock to 10-o’clock to 2-o’clock pendulum can punch out 30-foot to 50-foot casts, even in moderate headwinds.

It’s tempting to say that softer (slower) tip and butt sections on rods designated ultralight further empower the catapult, resulting in even longer casts. This is true to a point. But excessive softness reduces casting accuracy, jig control, and certainly, sensitivity. Fighting bull bluegills on ultralights is fun, but enticing them to bite is significantly more likely with a precision light-power, moderately fast- to fast-action blank.

Rod tip “action” is described as the speed at which the rod returns to straight after it’s been fully loaded. Moderately soft tips can be fast in action, even though they provide plenty of cushion for catapult casts. There’s a perceivable difference — one’s sloppy, the other precise. A fast yet appropriately soft tip enhances casting distance and provides measured give, yet allows fine control over jigging cadence. The perfect tip allows me to impart petite, precise darts, twitches, and sweeps to a jig without sacrificing the ability to cushion 2-pound mono. Moreover, new feather-light rod guides add another dimension.

Line Advice

Though the labeling on some light-action rods calls for no less than 4-pound line, many of them fish 2- and 3-pound test beautifully. Beyond classic Trilene XL, Maxima’s Ultragreen in 2- and 3-pound test is a workhorse mono that’s been popular for over 40 years. Sunline Siglon F in 2-pound test is another fabulous mono. Ultragreen, however, remains one of the only lines to offer 3-pound test, which remains a versatile choice.

Many anglers have switched from mono to braid, and I can’t fault the choice other than to make a case for stretch. In certain jig scenarios, the stretch of mono has benefits. It prevents premature hook-sets and lip damage that can occur with braid. Stretch prompts fish to hold a bait longer before rejecting it since they don’t feel you pulling back. It provides a shock absorber that keeps fish hooked better as well. In shallow water, mono wins. Deeper than 20 feet, braid rules.

Regarding fluorocarbon, I never spool it on small spinning reels. Its rigidity causes casting problems. It tends to slap the rod blank, and feels heavier on the rod than comparable mono. For abrasion resistance in heavy cover, or as a means of disguise, it’s often beneficial to add a 12- to 18-inch section of 4- to 8-pound-test fluorocarbon at the end of a mono or braid mainline.

Reel Choice

For maximizing casting distance and minimizing line coils, larger spools help. Designations vary somewhat by company, but it’s usually best to select the second smallest spinning reel in a series. Most of my jigging rods are matched with Shimano Stradic CI4 1000s, Pflueger Purist 1325s, or Abu Garcia Cardinal STX10s.

With light mono, smooth reel performance is important, and you mostly get what you pay for. Any rough or “dry” spots in the reel’s rotation can interrupt jig contact, which results in missed bites. Likewise, a smooth drag prevents line breakage.

New Wave Jig Pitcher

New rod options elevate performance on several fronts. One of the sweetest introductions in recent years has been St. Croix’s Panfish Series. I’ve fished several models in this 9-rod series and they all have excellent blank actions. Guide and noted panfish angler Brian Brosdahl is a fan of these rods, choosing the 6-foot 9-inch PFS69ULF and 7-foot PFS70LXF for most of his shallow-water jig casting.

The light power, extra-fast action 7-foot PFS70LXF is a gem. Proprietary St. Croix SCVI graphite provides a fine blend of weight, balance, and sensitivity. Progressive Pac Bay Minima guides cut rod weight significantly and position the rings well away from the blank. This separation reduces line slap, increases casting distance, and seems to enhance sensitivity.

The blank features an appropriately soft casting tip, while the butt section has power for setting hooks and hoisting fish. It couples nicely with a Shimano Stradic CI4 1000F and 3-pound Maxima Ultragreen for casting tiny jigs in shallow water as well as working panfish swimbaits. It fishes instinctively, which is the highest praise I can offer.

The “Bull” Whip

When I first cast the 6-foot 7-inch G. Loomis TSR791 — part of their Trout & Panfish Series — it became another new favorite. Loomis classifies it ultralight power and fast action to handle 2- to 6-pound-test and 1/32- to 3/16-ounce lures. Compared to the St. Croix Panfish option, its blank and tip are slightly faster, and with a bit more beef through the spine.

G. Loomis marketing coordinator John Mazurkiewicz suggested I match it with a Shimano Stradic CI4 1000FML Microline reel, which handles thin polyethylene lines, suchas 3-pound PowerPro Microline, brilliantly. I used that combo to fling 1/16- and 1/8-ounce hair jigs for white bass, trout, perch, and crappies.

Its faster tip was ideal for working jigs slightly more aggressively, and for setting hooks in deeper water, whereas the St. Croix combo worked best in the shallows. I also used that combo to fling crappie-sized cranks. Particularly around cover and in ultra-clear water, I added an 18-inch Sunline Metan Invisible fluoro leader.

Vertical Jigger

Much of the year, we fish vertically for suspended crappies and white bass, as well as bottom-hugging sunfish and perch. Fishing a 1/16- to 1/4-ounce jig, spoon, or a drop-shotrig below the boat are money presentations. For these vertical approaches, a 5-foot rod provides pinpoint control and sensitivity. The tip on my old favorite 5-foot 3-inch Fenwick HMG (GS53L-M) is fast enough to transmit bites in deep water, yet the rest of the blank flexes enough to prevent slack line and lost fish during lengthy fights. Its faster tip can deliver minor quivers and bumps to lures 20 feet below.

Shorter rods keep lures positioned within the sonar’s cone angle. With careful boat control, it’s possible (and often critical) to watch lures and fish reacting to them on the screen.

With low stretch and tiny diameter, 3-pound-test Berkley NanoFil shines for deep vertical approaches. Wide-spool reels such as a Pflueger Purist 1325 minimize line coils and lure spin — critical elements for deepwater jigging.

Spinner Stroller / SlipFloat Dipper

When hunting panfish spread across expanses, slowly trolling with a bow-mount trolling motor is essential. Methods differ north to south, but rod choices don’t. Long 9- to 11-foot rods with extra-soft tips and beefy butt sections excel for towing jigs, cranks, and small spinner rigs adorned with plastics or livebait.

For pulling spinner rigs behind 1/4-ounce bullet sinkers in vegetation, I’ve long used an 11-foot Cabela’s Match Rod, now out of production. Last season, I added an 11-foot St. Croix Panfish Series (PFS110LMF2) rod.

These long, moderately-slow-action rods perform double-duty for slipfloat fishing and for dipping light jigs into tight spots in cover. For trolling, 4- to 10-pound mono or braid works. For slipfloats, it’s 4- to 8-pound mono, depending on cover. In wood, many anglers prefer heavier braid and lightwire hooks to straighten and free snagged rigs with steady pressure.

On recent trips, I’ve been impressed by rods from B’n’M Fishing. Designed by Pickwick Lake, Tennessee, crappie guide Roger Gant, “The Difference” rods (available in 8-, 9-, and 10-foot versions) offer soft, yet sensitive tips on IM6 blanks. Crafted for a crappie tactic known as “side-pulling,” these rods also shine for spider-rigging and for tightlining deep crappies.

When drifting and trolling, multiple long rods go in holders, while anglers monitor their spread until a tip arcs deeply into hooked fish. Small line-holder reels, such as B’n’M’s Buck’s Mini Reel is a popular choice, as are specially designed single-action reels with bait alarms. B’n’M, Bass Pro Shops, and Slater’s offer fine trolling reels.

This article appears in the East edition of the November Game & Fish Magazine, now on sale. Learn how to subscribe

If you’re reading this, you are witnessing the power of attraction, and the next few moments will determine whether you read this article in its entirety or move on to something else.

The same concept applies to calling deer during the various phases of the rut. Even if you get a buck’s attention with a call, a number of variables ultimately affect whether it brings him in for a closer look.

While November can be an incredibly unpredictable month in the whitetail woods, the use of calls can be effective during the pre-, peak- and post-rut stages. But you need to understand what the deer are doing during each of these phases and offer up the right auditory lure.

PRE-RUT (Oct. 26 to Nov. 7)

Most deer have transitioned from their summer food source to their fall and winter food sources by now. Wooded areas that have good, healthy oak stands will become highly sought out by does and bucks alike. Knowing the locations of these areas can really help you home in on where to call, especially since does will often be on their feet in these areas.

Get your rattling antlers out because we are about to stir some things up. The bucks are now at an all-time high in testosterone levels and looking for that first doe in heat. Tensions are on the rise, and as daylight movement increases, bucks often move into territories where they really don’t belong. Get the biggest set of rattling antlers you have, smash them together every 30 minutes and be ready.

• BINGE WATCH all 6 episodes of Rut Crash Course

In areas with low deer densities or where there may not be many mature bucks, however, this may not be the best tactic. If this is the case where you hunt, keep things social through contact grunts and doe bleats. Continue to be mindful of wind direction and watch carefully—these bucks will work their way to your call from the downwind side.

Adding a buck decoy and facing the head in the direction from which you expect a buck to approach can really help close the distance. Try to be as scent-free as possible, and if you plan to use a deer scent, I suggest using buck urine rather than estrous. The key to this phase is imitating a buck on the move, working to be the first to breed.

Rut Crash Course: Rattle in Big Bucks

PEAK RUT (Nov. 8 to Nov. 20)

It’s time to put the grunt tube to work. The does are in estrus and the bucks are begging them to stop and let them breed. My go-to sequence for the peak rut is a trailing grunt. I do 8 to 15 short grunts followed by a long grunt every 15 to 20 minutes and remain vigilant. A buck passing by will often hear this and come in to try to get in on the action. Unlike in the other phases, I have found during the peak of the rut that bucks will come from all different directions regardless of the wind direction. They will often come into this grunting sequence almost immediately, rather than take a prolonged, cautious approach.

Very seldom do I use a bleat call, but have found during this phase that a bleat is sometimes the tool that brings a buck in close. Occasionally I will use a bleat call in a soft manner, but mostly only if I see a buck that is hung up and won’t commit. The best luck I’ve had is with grunting. When that doesn’t work, wait 20 minutes and grunt again.

Snort wheezes can be highly effective in this phase. Seldom have I called in a buck with a blind snort wheeze, but several times I’ve stopped bucks in their tracks. If you have a decoy, pairing it with the snort wheeze can be a deadly combo. A buck that hears the call will want to know what he’s getting himself into, so having something visual highly increases your odds of drawing him in, especially if he’s cruising or hung up outside of shooting range.

Rut Crash Course: 3 Deer Calling Strategies

POST-RUT (Nov. 21 to Dec. 12)

In areas where the deer herd is balanced, I’ll treat the post-rut like the pre-rut. The use of rattling antlers and soft grunts can really get a buck moving during this time. A few of my biggest and most mature bucks have been killed in late November and early December with calling. In 2017 I was able to lightly rattle in three separate bucks, which enticed two of them to fight under my stand. I eventually took the more mature of the two.

Although this isn’t common and was a unique experience, it led me to believe that just because the peak of the rut is over, breeding is not. Some does have gone unbred, bucks still have high levels of testosterone and deer are still communicating often.

In areas with lower deer densities or where the balance is heavily in favor of the does, I don’t do as much aggressive calling during this phase. Instead, I’ll opt for lighter contact grunts and bleats. Deer are still very vocal regardless of densities or sex ratios, but in areas where there are fewer bucks, fighting for does often isn’t necessary, so I tend to withhold the aggressive tactics.

The key to successful calling is to understand how and why deer communicate, create curiosity during certain times, and stay vigilant. Keep your focus, spot them before they see you and be ready, because calling deer during the rut can be both exciting and rewarding for those who are patient and persistent.

When it comes to dove hunting, one of the most important skills a hunter must master is knowing how far to lead a dove at 40 yards. This distance can be particularly challenging for many hunters, as it requires a great deal of skill and practice to get right. The key to success lies in understanding the behavior of doves and their tendency to fly erratically, as well as the limitations of your shotgun and ammunition.

There are a number of factors that can affect your ability to lead a dove at 40 yards, including the size of your shot, the pattern of your shotgun, and the agility of the bird itself. Hunters must also be aware of any regulations or hunting laws that may apply in their area, as well as the importance of proper clothing, shelter, and camouflage. With the right training and practice, however, even novice hunters can learn to master this challenging distance and become skilled dove hunters.

Understanding Lead and Distance

What is Lead?

Lead is the amount of space that a shooter needs to aim in front of a moving target in order to hit it. When shooting at a moving target, such as a dove, hunters need to lead the target to account for the time it takes for the shot to reach the target.

Factors Affecting Lead

The amount of lead required to hit a dove at 40 yards can vary depending on a number of factors. These factors include the speed of the bird, the distance of the shot, the type of shotgun and ammunition used, and the skill level of the shooter.

How Far to Lead a Dove at 40 Yards?

When shooting at a dove at 40 yards, the amount of lead required will depend on the speed of the bird and the type of shotgun and ammunition used. A general rule of thumb is to lead the bird by about 3 to 4 feet, or about the length of the bird’s body.

It’s important to note that shooting at a moving target like a dove requires skill and practice. Hunters should take a course on shooting moving targets and practice regularly to improve their aim and accuracy.

In addition, it’s important to follow all hunting laws and regulations, including those related to the use of weapons and clothing. Sporting clays can also be a great way to improve your shooting skills and accuracy, as well as to learn more about the sport of hunting.

When shooting at a dove, it’s important to consider the impact of the shot on the bird and the surrounding wildlife and environment. Using a field gun with a tight pattern of pellets can help to minimize the number of pellets that miss the target and reduce the potential impact on other wildlife and water sources.

Practicing Your Shot

The Importance of Practice

For hunters looking to hit their targets accurately, practice is key. Shooting a dove at 40 yards requires skill and precision, and the only way to achieve this is through consistent practice. By practicing regularly, hunters can develop their aim, improve their technique, and get accustomed to the feel of their gun.

Best Practices for Practicing Your Shot

To get the most out of their practice sessions, hunters should follow these best practices:

• Start with closer shots: Before attempting to hit a dove at 40 yards, hunters should start with closer shots to build their confidence and accuracy.
• Use smaller shot sizes: When practicing, hunters should use smaller shot sizes to simulate the size of a dove. This will help them get a better understanding of the patterns their pellets create.
• Practice in different environments: Hunters should practice in different environments to get accustomed to shooting in different conditions. This could include shooting on a rifle course or in a field with agile game birds.
• Use a field gun: When practicing for dove hunting, hunters should use a field gun rather than a sport gun. Field guns are better suited for hunting game birds and will help hunters get a feel for shooting in the field.
• Focus on technique: Hunters should focus on their technique when practicing, paying attention to their stance, grip, and aim. By improving their technique, hunters can improve their accuracy and precision.
• Join a club: Joining a shooting club can provide hunters with access to shooting ranges and other resources for practicing their shot.

By following these best practices, hunters can improve their shooting skills and increase their chances of hitting a dove at 40 yards.

Equipment and Accessories

Shotgun and Barrel Selection

When it comes to shooting doves at 40 yards, the right equipment can make all the difference. A shotgun with a 12-gauge or 20-gauge barrel is ideal for this task. The barrel should be at least 26 inches long to provide a good balance between accuracy and maneuverability. A longer barrel may be more accurate, but it can also be cumbersome to carry around in the field.

Shot Size and Pellet Count

The right shot size and pellet count can also have a significant impact on your success when shooting doves at 40 yards. For this distance, a shot size of 7.5 or 8 is recommended. These sizes provide enough power to take down a dove without causing excessive damage to the bird. As for pellet count, a load of 1 1/8 ounces is a good choice for 12-gauge shotguns, while 7/8 ounces is better suited for 20-gauge shotguns.

Dove Decoys and Camouflage

Using dove decoys and camouflage can help you blend in with your surroundings and increase your chances of success. When selecting decoys, choose ones that are realistic and have natural-looking colors. Place them in a way that mimics the natural behavior of doves. As for camouflage, choose clothing that matches the environment you will be hunting in. This will help you blend in and remain undetected by the doves.

In summary, when shooting doves at 40 yards, it is crucial to have the right equipment and accessories. A 12-gauge or 20-gauge shotgun with a 26-inch barrel, a shot size of 7.5 or 8, and a pellet count of 1 1/8 ounces (for 12-gauge) or 7/8 ounces (for 20-gauge) is recommended. Using dove decoys and camouflage can also increase your chances of success.

Regulations and Safety

Hunting Regulations for Doves

When it comes to hunting doves, hunters must follow specific regulations to ensure the safety of both the hunters and the game. Regulations vary from state to state, so it is essential to check with the local wildlife agency before heading out.

Some common regulations for dove hunting include the following:

• Hunting season: There is a specific hunting season for doves, which varies from state to state. Hunters must follow the designated dates and times for hunting doves.
• Bag limits: There are specific bag limits for doves, which vary from state to state. Hunters must not exceed these limits.
• Hunting license: Hunters must have a valid hunting license to hunt doves, which can be obtained from the local wildlife agency.

Safety Precautions for Dove Hunting

Dove hunting can be dangerous if safety precautions are not taken seriously. Hunters must follow specific safety guidelines to ensure their safety and the safety of others.

Some common safety precautions for dove hunting include the following:

• Shelter: Hunters must seek shelter in a safe area, away from other hunters, to avoid accidents.
• Surprise: Hunters must always be aware of their surroundings and avoid surprising other hunters.
• Hunting laws: Hunters must follow all hunting laws and regulations to avoid accidents and legal consequences.
• Weapons: Hunters must handle their weapons with care and only shoot when they have a clear shot.
• Clothing: Hunters must wear appropriate clothing to protect themselves from the elements and avoid accidents.
• Food: Hunters must bring enough food and water to sustain them throughout the day.

By following these regulations and safety precautions, hunters can enjoy a safe and successful dove hunting experience.

Advances in fishing electronics have been moving forward by leaps and bounds in the past few decades. Keeping up with technological innovations is a challenge, even for a techno-junkie such as myself. Sonar, imaging, and GPS have given anglers unparalleled access to what is going on below the surface of the water. However, a decade spent selling fish finders in the retail business taught me a few things. One, many anglers struggle with understanding the different features of modern fishing electronics. Secondly, many anglers are paying for features they simply don’t need or use. If you are buying your first fish finder or looking to upgrade here is a quick course on the features you might look for.

How It Works: Sonar

The majority of anglers rely on sonar. Whether you spend the majority of your time trolling open water or hovering over structure you will find sonar useful. Sonar is useful for identifying your depth, locating fish quickly, identifying the depth of fish, and can provide information on the types of bottom substrate beneath your watercraft. Sonar works by generating a signal that travels outward from your transducer in a cone shape. The signal reflects off surfaces and travels back to the transducer. Your fish finder then translates those reflections into a visual representation. Harder surfaces, such as rock, will reflect more signals than soft surfaces, such as vegetation. The hardness of a surface reflection is often represented by a color gradient that you determine on your fish finder’s settings. Using the color and shape of the return an angler can interpret what the benthic or bottom structure of the lake or river they are fishing looks like. Sonar signals bounce strongly off of air which is why fish with large air bladders show up extremely well on fish finders.

Most modern fish finders broadcast in alternating low and high frequencies. Lower frequencies produce a narrower cone that better penetrates deeper water whereas higher frequencies produce a wider cone that is better at resolving fish and structure in shallow water. Many fish finders will automatically use the best frequency depending on your depth or will cycle back and forth to generate the best signal. However, anglers can select particular frequencies that best suit their fishery and may even opt to buy transducers specific to the types of fishing they do. However, sonar does have several weaknesses. First, due to the narrowness of the signal cone, it is very poor at detecting fish shallow and under your watercraft. Secondly, because it is compressing a three-dimensional cone into a single dimension it is very difficult to separate fish from structure or multiple fish or bait fish from each other. Lastly, learning to interpret sonar output takes time and can be especially challenging for color-blind individuals.

How It Works: Down and Side Imaging

For those anglers that fish structure, whether that be brush piles, weed beds, or rocky reefs, you will find imaging useful. Imaging fills the gaps in sonar’s weaknesses. Unlike sonar, imaging is generated by your transducer generating a razor-thin high-frequency signal. These imaging frequencies can be directed downward, for down imaging, or out to the side, for side imaging. This data is then used to generate detailed and lifelike images of the structure below or off to the side of your watercraft. Unlike sonar images which can be very nebulous and confusing, especially around layered structure, imaging results are much easier to interpret. A tree looks like a tree and rocks look like rocks and so on. Additionally, fish can be separated from structure much more easily.

Imaging uses a high frequency and thus has limitations in deep water applications. In general, I find it most useful down or out to 100’. If you spend a lot of time targeting structure directly under your boat then you will find down imaging especially useful. Side imaging is useful in quickly locating structure off to the side of your watercraft and measured distances on your fish finder unit will allow you to cast at those targets. I’ve also found side imaging to be helpful in locating schools of suspended fish off to the sides of the kayak when trolling in open water.

How It Works: GPS-Enabled Fish Finders

GPS-enabled fish finders provide a wealth of information to any angler. Coupled with bathymetric depth maps GPS allows you to identify and navigate to potential fish-holding areas. Waypoints and tracks of your movements can be saved for future reference as well. Additionally, many fish finders like the Humminbird Helix have advanced features such as Autochart Live that allow anglers to build custom detailed maps of their local body of water. For anglers that troll GPS units provide real-time troll speeds. Finally, GPS can assist in safe navigation to and from your favorite fishing spots.

Advanced Fish Finder Features to Look For

In just the past few years, even more advanced fish-finding features have emerged. These include Humminbird’s 360 imaging which gives you complete imaging all around the watercraft. Additionally, live sonar and live imaging are now available on many fish finders. Live sonar/imaging gives you real-time direction target separation and you can watch fish chase your lure or bait and in some instances you can identify fish species by shape. These advanced features require specialized transducers and cost more but when used correctly can help put more fish in the boat.

By Jason Vincent

The world is full of ugly rifles…and so is my gun safe.

The truth is, I like them. I appreciate the durability of synthetics, I value a weather resistant stainless barrel and, in the field, the practicality in the shape of a more tactical stock opens up more shooting positions.

But these are not my favorite rifles.

My favorites all have classic lines, wood stocks, and blued barrels. I’m willing to forgive them a little if they’re not surgically accurate.

The Winchester Model 70 has always been my favorite sporting rifle and I’ve been chasing deals on the pre-1964 versions for a long time now. These guns were designed right, built right, and they almost always offered surprising accuracy.

And then Winchester bastardized them in 1964 to cut costs and compete with Remington’s cheaper and less refined push-feed Model 700 -which they were having huge success with.

Model 70 purists – guys like my grandad – vomited as they lost their reliable control round feed actions and watched Winchester’s overall quality take a nose-dive. But the side effects only lasted a short 28 years before Winchester listened to their customers and in 1992, the company started producing control round feed actions again.

Today, the Winchester Model 70 may be the best rifle the company has ever made. They beat the pants off anything Remington has ever produced, and they’ve turned many of us into believers in their rifles again.

I own several of these newer guns.

Before our last trip to Africa, I sent my current catalog model .30-06 M70 Supergrade off to a company that manufactures and installs iron sights. I like hunting with irons when I can get away with it and the lack of them on most of the new M70’s bothers me.

When I got back the rifle back, the crew that did the work clearly beat my Supergrade up in the shop. There were scratches in the bluing and even a small gouge on the barrel. Mind you, these rifles are designed to be head turners, so I wasn’t thrilled with the way they treated it, but I don’t own safe queens and I knew I’d be putting new scars on it soon.

I’d shot this beauty before having the sights installed and knew it to be an accurate rig, but while it was off being thrown around the sight installer’s workshop, Unknown Munitions sent me some 180gr Barnes loads for our safari. When the rifle came back, I mounted a Leupold VX-3HD 2.5-8×36 in Talley quick-release rings and hit the range.

I’d never tried 180’s in this gun and with a max power of 8x in the optic I had to look through my spotting scope to see my first 3-shot group.

I knew at first glance that the cluster had to be ½” or less. I let things cool for a few minutes then shot again. Slightly larger group but still less than the ¾” mark. I zeroed the scope and dead centered the bullseye. I fired one more round to confirm zero and then packed everything up.

I went back to the office and used the velocity info from the doppler I set up on the shooting bench to update my Sig Kilo 2400ABS rangefinder with the data that would allow me to stretch the Supergrade out in the field. Since first using this system a few years ago, I haven’t taken a trip without it.

Fast forward to the shooting range in safari camp. We all uncased our rigs to check zero before hunting. I center-punched the target with two rounds and put the rifle away. Almost everyone commented on how good looking the rifle was and I think I was the only hunter in camp that didn’t need to make scope adjustments on the bench.

Over the next two weeks, the Winchester took a beating in the Landcruiser between the shots that downed game from 60 yards to 332 yards. The last round I fired was on a smaller animal at 470 yards. The blesbok died with a single round to the heart while my buddies drank beer and watched.

Several people have tried to buy this rifle from me since.

It will never be sold.

Summary:

The current Winchester M70’s are rifles to own. People bitch about the newest models being made in Europe these days, but I don’t want to hear about it. My Portuguese models are as good or better than anything Winchester has ever put their name on. If I have one gripe, it’s the lack of iron sights on all but the Safari Express models. Winchester really should make a series of the rifle in .270 and .30-06 to mimic the classic pre-64 design. They’d sell the hell out of them.

Pros:

Beautiful. Accurate. Control round feed for ultimate reliability.

Cons:

They need iron sights for us purists.