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If you’re new to archery or want to get into archery, you’ll eventually ask the question, “Should I buy a compound bow or recurve bow?”

Most people should buy a recurve bow when starting out in archery because most people who can shoot a compound bow find it somewhat difficult to switch to a recurve bow. On the other hand, if you can learn to shoot a recurve bow well then you will be able to shoot a compound bow well too.

That’s my short recommendation.

However, here are a few more pros and cons to help you decide whether you should buy a compound bow or a recurve bow. We’ll do cons first, then pros, and finish strong with some recommendations.

Compound Bow: Cons

Compound Bows Are Expensive

You can expect to pay between $200 to $600 for a decent compound bow…and that’s JUST for the bow itself. Some higher-end compound bows can be more than $2000.

Assuming the same arrows for a recurve bow, you will still have to buy a compound bow release and the least expensive one will run you about $20 to $40. The average price for a good thumb release is around $100 and above. The higher-end releases can be upwards of $200! For more info, check out my article about What is the Best Compound Bow Release?

Compound Bows Are Harder to Adjust on Your Own

In general, compound bows should only be adjusted by someone who really knows what they are doing.

There are 2 functions that can be adjusted on pretty much all compound bows: draw weight and draw length.

In order to adjust draw, most compound bows have bolts that can be tightened or loosened with an allen wrench. The user manual describes exactly what steps need to be followed and each bow will be different.

In order to adjust draw length, there is usually a system of screws in the cams that must be configured to increase or decrease the string length. Again, the user manual will have detailed instructions and each bow is different.

The downside is that if the manual is not clear or you just don’t understand for whatever reason, you won’t be able to adjust things safely and will have to go to your local pro shop to get your bow adjusted.

Compound Bows Can be Heavier and Awkwardly Shaped

This is big generalisation since you will be able to find some compound bows that a lighter than some recurve bows. But in general, compound bows average around 3.6 lbs to 4.0 lbs in weight.

Not terribly heavy, but when you’re hunting and carrying around a pack all day wherever you go, every ounce counts.

The other aspect is shape. Compound bows cannot be unstrung for storage and shouldn’t be for that matter. They typically run around 30 inches in length and should usually be kept in some kind of case.

Most compound bow cases can be bulky and this is so you can store arrows and all your other gear in there as well. This makes for an awkwardly shaped case that some people may find difficult to store away or transport.

Why is a Compound Bow Better?

Compound Bows Are Easier to shoot

There.

I said it.

And it’s true! Once a person gets used to the seemingly unnatural surprise of the let-off, compound bows are easier to hold at full draw and, therefore, easier to aim accurately.

For example, many compound bows have a 80% let-off. That means that for a 70 lb draw weight, at full draw, you will only be holding 20% of 70 lbs (14 lbs); 80% will be “let-off”.

You still have to pull 70 lbs until the cams rotate passed the “hump”, but once it lets off, you can hold it for much longer than a recurve bow.

This fact may be tempting for some people but we’ll see below why this may not be the be-all and end-all if you plan on ever shooting recurve in the future..

Compound Bows Produce Fast Arrow Velocity

This is one of the reasons why compound bows are easier to shoot. The speed at which the cams rotate and launch the arrow on release makes the arrow less susceptible to flinching or wind drift.

Typical arrow velocity is around 310 fps or faster!

Compound Bows Are Very Accurate

High draw weight compound bows are actually much easier to hold at full draw than one might expect. This makes it easier for a person to aim just right. As stated above, the high velocity makes the arrow less impacted by wind and form.

The combination of these 2 factors (more time to aim and high arrow velocity) make compound bows inherently accurate.

Being inherently very accurate, the arrow will generally impact where you want it to go (provided your sight is zeroed in properly). This can give new archers a confidence boost and make archery much more fun.

Compound Bows Have Adjustable Draw Weight and Draw Length

Above, I said that adjusting the draw weight and draw length on a compound bow can be difficult on your own. That’s true.

But the fact that you CAN adjust the draw weight and draw length? That’s huge!

It may take some learning and practice to figure out how to do it properly and safely, but there’s a clear advantage to being able to make those adjustments. It basically means that you can have 1 bow to do many tasks.

For example, you could lower the draw weight so that you can practice your form and hold your aim longer to develop muscle memory. Then, when hunting season rolls around, you can increase the draw weight to meet the minimum required by the regulations (or higher if you prefer).

Also, if you ever sell your bow to someone, that person will be able to tune the bow to fit their draw length and preferred draw weight.

Compound Bows Are Extremely Satisfying to Shoot

In my opinion, the best part of shooting a compound bow is the sound:

The whisper-slap of the release (and I mean WHISPER).

The swoosh of the arrow as you watch it rise and fall through the air in a perfect arch.

And the “thwack!” of the arrow impacting the target.

There’s nothing like it.

Satisfying.

Compound Bow Recommendation

I currently shoot a recurve bow: the PSE Mustang Heritage with a 40 lb draw weight. However, I recently had the chance to shoot a Diamond by Bowtech Edge SB-1 (available from Bass Pro).

It was my father-in-law’s bow and he didn’t do anything to it since he bought it and I’m pretty sure the sight was way off. Not my draw length, 70 lb draw weight, and no practice with a compound bow in 20 years.

This thing was a dream to shoot!

The very first arrow went a little left (about a foot) and the next 2 arrows were on target. Like riding a bike!

It’s not crazy expensive either and comes ready to shoot with a good sight, a brush arrow rest (aka. whisker biscuit), hunting length stabiliser, peep installed, wrist strap, and D-loop.

Recurve Bow: Cons

Recurve Bows Are Less Accurate than Compound Bows

I consider this a Con for a specific reason and it has to do with fun factor.

The main reason anybody does archery is for fun. When someone is new to archery and they keep missing the target, it isn’t very fun and they begin to lose interest.

Recurve bows are less accurate mainly because they produce lower arrow velocities (around 180 fps). This lower velocity means the arrow is more susceptible to wind drift and issues with bad form.

That means new archers have to work a bit harder to develop good form and become more accurate shooting a recurve bow…but in the long run that is actually a GOOD THING.

So, this “Con” can actually be a Pro depending on how you look at it.

Recurve Bows Can be slightly more difficult to learn proper form

The reason it can be more difficult to learn proper archery form with a recurve bow is because you have to hold the full draw weight of the bow at full draw. With a recurve bow, you don’t get the benefit of let-off that you get with a compound bow.

When you’re just starting out in archery, you haven’t developed the muscles you didn’t know you had that are involved with proper archery form. Developing those muscles and proper form can ONLY come with lots of practice.

Recurve Bow Draw weight not adjustable

There are 2 kinds of recurve bows: one-piece recurve bows and takedown recurve bows.

One-piece bows are made from a single piece of wood or laminated “single piece” to form the limbs and riser of the bow. A good example of this is the Bear Grizzly. This kind of recurve has a set draw weight and it cannot be changed (except by changing how far to draw back the bowstring).

Takedown recurve bows have detachable limbs. This give you the ability to purchase different sets of limbs with different draw weights.

BUT if all you have is the one set of limbs then you are stuck with that draw weight until you get another set.

If you want more information on which recuvre bow limbs are interchangeable, check out my article here.

Why is a Recurve Bow Better?

Recurve Bows Are Less expensive

The typical recuve bow will run you around $150…less than half the cost of a typical compound bow!

And nowadays, since there has been heavy competition among entry-level bow manufacturers, you can find really high quality recurve bows for that price with everything you need to start shooting in minutes.

Recurve Bows Are Easy and Instinctive for Beginners to Learn

Most people have at least some exposure to archery. Whether through movies, TV shows, or wherever it’s pretty hard to go through life without at least seeing someone shoot a bow and arrow.

That’s why most people are able to pick up a recurve bow and just know instinctively how it’s supposed to function.

Literally anyone can learn to shoot a recurve bow.

This is proved from the fact that you can get bow packages for children as young as 4 years old!

Recurve Bows Develop your Archery Muscles Fast

As stated above, when you draw back a recuve bowstring, you are holding the full weight of the bow. You do not get any let-off like with a compound bow.

That means your muscles get a better workout when you shoot a recurve bow versus a compound bow.

When starting out, it is better to get a bow with a lower draw weight like 30 lbs or less. This will make it easier and more enjoyable when learning proper archery form.

Once you get good at it, you should increase the draw weight with higher draw weight limbs for your bow.

Recurve Bows Are Easier to Adjust on Your Own

This comes from the fact that there’s not very much to adjust at all!

For a takedown recurve bow, the most you will have to adjust is swapping out sets of limbs to change the draw weight.

That procedure is as simple as unscrewing a couple bolts, fitting the new limbs, and screwing the bolt back in.

If you have ILF limbs, it’s even easier than that!

Recurve Bows Weigh Less and Are Easier to Transport

A takedown recurve bow, as the name suggests, can be disassembled to remove the limbs from the riser.

This makes for a very compact package and can be transported very easily.

Recurve Bows Are More Satisfying to Shoot!

This one is directly linked with the difficulty in mastering the recurve bow.

It is precisely because it takes a little more effort and more practice to get really good at shooting a recurve bow that is is so satisfying.

When you get a perfect release, watch the arrow fly perfectly through the air and then impact exactly where you wanted it to hit…then all of the hard work makes the feeling so much more satisfying.

Recurve Bow Skills Transfer to Compound Bows

That is exactly what I observed this past weekend.

My 2 brothers-in-law (we’ll call them Jeff and Mark) had never shot a bow and arrow until last weekend. It was Father’s Day and I brought my PSE Mustang Heritage recurve bow out to my father-in-law’s ranch for the day.

He has a Diamond Edge SB-1 that he doesn’t shoot very often so after lunch we all went out back to break in the new target I had bought him for his birthday.

After some basic instruction, Jeff and Mark each had a turn shooting both of the bows (about a dozen arrows each).

The results were very interesting.

Both of them were able to hit the target (as opposed to the back stop) with the compound bows. Both of them struggled a bit more with my recurve bow BUT they were able to get arrows on target within 3 or 4 shots. In both cases, they knew instinctively how to shoot a bow.

One reason they struggled with the recurve was because it has a 40 lb draw weight. Even Jeff, who works constructing oil and gas pipelines and works out regularly, had a tough time holding the bow at full draw.

If the bow had been a lower draw weight, perhaps 25 – 30 lbs, then they probably would have been more comfortable shooting the recurve bow.

All that being said, here’s the kicker:

BOTH of them said that they would probably buy a low-draw-weight recurve bow to start so that they could get their shooting form down perfect, and then level up to a compound bow.

Two brand new archers could quickly see that:

1. Archery form is absolutely important, and
2. Recurve bows are better tools to learn archery form.

To me, this is a huge reason in favor of buying a recurve bow over a compound bow because even though both Jeff and Mark agreed that shooting the compound bow was easier they thought the recurve bow would be more beneficial to start.

Recurve Bow Recommendation

Having been shooting my PSE Mustang Heritage for a while now, I’ve grown accustomed to the heavier draw weight at 40 lbs. But still, after about 2 dozen arrows my fingers start hurting real bad and my form begins to get worse.

If I could do it all again, I would definitely purchase a lighter draw weight bow so that I could pretty much shoot all day and not get tired. The more you practice, the better your form becomes.

That’s why I highly recommend the Vista Monarch Take-Down Recurve Bow (available from Bass Pro Shops) specifically in a 25 lb draw weight.

This particular set comes complete with the arrowrest installed and also includes a black padded case with pockets, nock set installed, armguard, tab and a bow stringer.

All you’ll need is some arrows and a target and you’re ready to go!

Find this useful? Then you may want to take a look at my other bow guides:

• How Much Does A Compound Bow Cost?
• How Much Does A Recurve Bow Cost?

Black trumpet mushrooms, also known as the horn of plenty or horn of death. Don’t let the name confuse you though-these are one of the best wild mushrooms to harvest, hunt and cook, and are valued around the world as a gourmet ingredient and choice edible mushroom.

In this post I’m going to share with you everything I know about hunting, identifying, harvesting and cooking these mushrooms, along with some of my favorite recipes for black trumpets at the end.

For reference, I’m in the Midwest, so most of what I discuss here for hunting will refer to Craterellus fallax as it’s the most common species near me. Older field guides may use the name Craterellus cornucopiodes, now seen as a European species.

Where to Find Black Trumpet Mushrooms

In mid-summer, typically early July through October, (I’ve picked them as late as November) I will start to check my patches. Where do black trumpets grow? In my area, around white and red oak trees. One species (Craterellus caeruleofuscus) grows with pines, but isn’t as widely available.

One of the best parts about these mushrooms is the sheer volume you can find, when, and if you find the right kind of patch. The harvests will vary from year to year depending on seasonal conditions, but there will usually be some.

Two friends of mine have near-legendary patches in Minnesota, that, on a good year, with an extra hand or two, you could pick 30, 40lbs or more. As trumpets are very light weight compared to others, that kind of quantity is massive.

Wet and decaying areas

Often when you’re hunting these I look for moist, shady areas. They may be close to a small source of water or a wet/swampy area where there’s decaying and dead wood. Golden chanterelles, by comparison may occasionally be nearby, but I don’t see them as much in wet areas as I do trumpets.

At least to me, black trumpets seem to operate in two ways: mycorrhizal and saprobic, meaning that they grow both in harmony with certain trees, and will seem to live off of decaying matter. Contrastingly, golden chanterelles are only mycorrhizal.

Most of the time with mushrooms from my experience, they’ll be one or the other but not both, which makes trumpets extra special.

A good trick to remember when you’re searching for new patches is that trumpets like to be often in the same areas as some of their other chanterelle cousins, especially the yellowfoot chanterelle which is much easier to spot from a distance as it isn’t black.

If you see one of the orange mushrooms pictured above, or golden chanterelles, it’s a good indication you’re on the right track.

Sphagnum moss

It isn’t true everywhere, but trumpets seem to have an affinity for sphagnum moss. When I’m in a forest with red or white oaks, and I start seeing sphagnum moss during the summer, I make sure to keep my eyes open for trumpets.

More often than not, when I see moss and start looking closely, and walking slowly, I’ll find some.

Black Trumpet Mushroom Identification

Found across North America, black trumpets are one of the easiest wild mushrooms to identify, with nearly no real look-a-likes. Your biggest challenge will be finding a good patch at the right time.

Black trumpets

• Have a whitish to creamy spore print.
• Have an unique aroma I describe as dark and intensely sweet aroma of apricots that are nearly overripe. Golden chanterelles, by comparison, smell like fresh apricots.
• Are mostly black, or shades of grey, but one species is nearly blue (see below) and white, albino mutations are also possible.
• Often grow clustered, with a shape like a horn or funnel.
• Do not have gills, but can have false gills. They may have veins that are difficult to see on the outside (called the spore-bearing surface or hymenium) or the veins may be more pronounced with some specimens-see below.

Different Species

There’s more than one species to learn about and enjoy, each one with slightly different characteristics. Two I’ve found are craterellus foetidus and craterellus cinereus, which some may call black chanterelles, but there’s others too.

No matter what kinds grow near you, one thing’s for certain: if it’s a true black trumpet it’s edible and delicious, and knowing the exact species is purely academic. If you’re like me though, the more you learn about wild mushrooms, the more you’ll want to know the exact types your finding.

Look Alikes

Some consider devil’s urn (Urnula craterium) a trumpet look alike, but they’re more cup-shaped and appear in the spring. They’re edible, but don’t taste very good.

Cleaning Black Trumpet Mushrooms

Cleaning starts in the field. Some people just pull the mushrooms out of the ground and put them in a basket-don’t do that. To avoid dirty mushrooms that can ruin your food with grit, I pull them from the ground, cut the end off, along with any dirt, then put them in the basket.

If I’m going to a patch where I expect to harvest lots of mushrooms, I like to bring a scissors since I can just bend down and snip-snip-snip, leaving the dirty bottoms behind and keeping all the mushrooms in my bag clean.

If my trumpets are very clean, I just open them up, leaving them in one piece, and give them a brush with a mushroom or pastry brush.

One of the best things about these mushrooms is that they’re often very clean, and may not need any additional trimming after they’re cut from the field, if you pick clean and carefully.

If my trumpets are a dirty or it’s rained recently, I slice them in half lengthwise and then give them a gentle dip in some cool water, working quickly so that they don’t absorb too much liquid.

After you wash them, just set them on some paper or cloth towels to air dry a bit and shed any water that may be sticking to them. I describe this a bit in the video below.

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How to Cook Black Trumpet Mushrooms

Black trumpet mushrooms have one of the most potent flavors of all wild mushrooms, especially when fresh.

They may be fragile or small, but they pack a punch. It’s hard to describe exactly what black trumpets taste like besides saying they’re delicious, but the flavor is a sort of a rich, earthy, oddly sweet and fruity taste that will remind you of fresh apricots and ripe stone fruit, with a bitter note at the end. It’s a delicious, unique taste.

One of the best things about these is their versatility. If you’ve just come back from a long hunt, there’s nothing wrong with just tossing some mushrooms in a pan with butter.

But if you have more time, you can make all kinds of things, limited only by your time and imagination. Here’s a few things I think are helpful.

Quick tips

• As they’re hollow, trumpets cook very fast-so don’t overcook them.
• A large amount will wilt down to a fraction of it’s size in the pan.
• Trumpets will turn other foods they come into contact with black or grey if the mushrooms are fresh.
• Another name for them is poor man’s truffle. Finely chop them as a (visual) substitute for black truffles.
• With a sweet aroma and tender texture, these can work in sweet and savory dishes, such as candying.
• Black trumpets can be eaten raw in small amounts as a garnish.

Like most mushrooms, these marry wonderfully with cream. Like other chanterelles, I would encourage you to cook these by themselves first, and keep things simple as their flavor can be overwhelmed by strong flavors like excessive garlic, smoked food, spices, and spicy/hot seasonings.

Bitterness

Use trumpets with a light hand at first as they can be bitter if you use too many in a dish. The bitterness will concentrate itself, so be careful when making reduction-type sauces, for example: purees, or putting too many in a soup.

The bitterness is a bit of an acquired tastes, and most mushroom hunters grow to like and crave it to some extent. It’s not unpleasant, but some sensitive people may not like it.

How to Dry Black Trumpet Mushrooms

There’s a few different ways you can preserve trumpets, but drying is by far the best. Luckily, as black trumpets are hollow, they dry like a dream, and are one of the best mushrooms for drying and using in the off season as they don’t get tough. To dry the mushrooms, I look over them for debris, then put in a dehydrator at 120-145F until cracker dry, typically overnight.

Occasionally I’ve left mushrooms spread out on cookie sheets with a ceiling fan blowing on them and found them naturally dehydrated after a day or two-something you can’t do with golden chanterelles.

Once they’re cracker dry, I store the mushrooms in a sealed glass container or mason jar. For cooking, rehydrate the mushrooms by covering with warm liquid, stock, or alcohol. Remove the mushrooms, strain the liquid for debris, adding the mushrooms back to their liquid for whatever recipe you’re making, or simply frying them up and discarding the liquid if you don’t need it.

Black Trumpet Mushroom Recipes

Here’s some of my favorite black trumpet recipes, or places where they can be substituted. One of the most unique things about these mushrooms is that they can work in savory as well as some sweet applications, so find a few of both below.

• Black Trumpet Pasta
• Candied Trumpets
• Sweet Mushroom Jam
• Jacques Chibois’s Carbonara of Chanterelles and Black Trumpets
• Baked Fish with Trumpet Crust
• Rack of Lamb or Venison with Dried Trumpet Crust
• Black Trumpet Coulis
• Rabbit Braised In Milk, with Trumpets And Carrots

More Trumpet Recipes

More

35 Essential Wild Mushrooms Every Forager Should Know

References

David Arora: Wild Mushrooms Demystified

MushroomExpert.com: Craterellus Fallax

We field tested over 40 of the best Appendix Holsters and found the 8 best options available.

I find many people say that carrying a concealed carry gun in an appendix AIWB holster is very uncomfortable.

Since it is arguably the best way to conceal a handgun for self-defense, is there really a comfortable option?

Our team has over 25 years of experience with concealed carry and appendix holsters. We use these holsters every day. We have military experience, safety officer experience, and shoot competitively in concealed carry matches as well.

While finding a comfortable holster is possible, it is only part of what you need to know.

Keep reading to find our tips and tricks to finally be able to carry an appendix holster comfortably.

Comparison of our Favorite Appendix Holsters

Best Appendix Holsters

CYA Supply Ridge Holster – Best Appendix Holster

• Material: Kydex
• Handgun Models Available: Over 100
• Return Policy: 30 Days
• Warranty Policy: Lifetime
• MSRP: $59.74

The CYA Supply Ridge AIWB Holster is our top pick as one of the best appendix holsters.

This full kydex holster is one of the slimmest low-profile appendix holsters we could find.

Why is that important?

An appendix holster that is not bulky is more likely to be comfortable and easy to conceal.

I have worn this holster for hours at a time and was able to sit, bend over, and load some heavy rocks into the back of my truck with it on.

I like how the edges of the holster are rounded. I have found that holsters that have pointed edges can be painful when I move in a certain position. They are literally a pain!

This holster comes with a spring steel clip from Discrete Carry Concepts. This clip has two fingers with tangs on the inside that catches on the bottom of my belt. This clip is one of the most durable and secure clips that we have found.

I was able to adjust the position of the clip to get the cant angle that was best for me. I simply loosened the screws, moved the clip, and tightened it back down.

The holster comes with a standard concealment wing with two different claw options. Hardware is included to remove it altogether, use a low profile claw, or a taller claw. I really like this option since I can customize it to my gun and my carry position.

But I really like the fact that CYA has included all of these options at no additional cost. Most other companies charge extra.

There are multiple colors available, and this holster is optics ready. However, they do not support pistol mounted lights. I found that they support all of the popular concealed carry guns on the market, so you are likely to find one for yours.

The combination of the features, comfort, and price brought us to agree that this is the best appendix holster for most people.

Recommended for:

The CYA Supply Ridge AIWB Holster is for anyone looking for the best appendix holster. This value here is hard to beat.

Video Review of the CYA Supply Ridge Holster

Harry’s Holsters Infiltrator – Best Kydex Appendix Holster

• Type: IWB
• Material: Kydex
• Handgun Models Available: Over 50
• Return Policy: 30 Days
• Warranty Policy: Lifetime
• MSRP: $97.75

Harry’s Holsters Infiltrator Holster is a full Kydex holster that we found works great as an appendix holster as well as any other IWB carry position.

The infiltrator is the latest holster from Harry’s Holsters. The shape and design of this holster looks different than most of the other Kydex IWB holsters that I have seen. You can tell that they have put in a lot of thought and incorporated improvements into this holster from previous models.

I like how the outside of the holster is rounded. My Infiltrator holster has not only rounded the edges on the Kydex, but it is formed in key areas to eliminate any possible edges that could cause pain. This is especially true around the bottom of the holster, an area I found to be the key to comfort.

Just like the CYA ridge holster, this one also comes with a spring steel Discrete Carry Concepts clip. It is one of the best I have found on an appendix holster.

What really makes this holster stand out is the adjustability. The clip comes separate from the holster, and included is a card with a QR code with a link to a setup video.

The hardware on this holster is unique. Instead of the round nuts you typically find on most holsters, this one comes with square nuts that ride in the adjustment channel. This allows the clip to move up and down with nearly one inch of ride height adjustment and 30 degrees of cant angle adjustment.

This much adjustability means this holster will work for almost everyone. I found with some adjustment it worked great in the appendix position as well as behind the hip.

Another feature that I really like on this holster is the unique concealment wing. Instead of being a separate wing with a claw, Harry’s Holsters came up with a unique design.

The wing is molded into the Kydex and is a gradual raised area around the trigger. I found that with holsters that have a claw, they are hard to put on and the claw gets caught on my pants or belt. With this holster, it slides right into place.

This is great since I often don’t drive with this holster on. This design allows me to quickly put it on when I get out of my truck.

All of these design features are great, but they do come at a price. This holster is more expensive than most other Kydex holsters. If your budget allows, this is the one to get.

Recommended for:

Harry’s Holsters Infiltrator Holster is for anyone looking for an appendix holster that will work well in any IWB carry position. The adjustability and rounded design makes this holster very comfortable.

Video of the Harry’s Holsters Infiltrator

Hidden Hybrid Holsters Single Clip – Most Comfortable Appendix Holster

• Material: Hybrid – Leather and Kydex
• Handgun Models Available: Over 100
• Return Policy: 30 Day
• Warranty Policy: Lifetime
• MSRP: $89.95

The Hidden Hybrid Holsters Single Clip Holster is one of the most comfortable appendix holsters we have used.

This holster is a hybrid design, so it has a leather backing with a kydex shell. I found that the leather has a soft suede backing that is super comfortable. I noticed that the leather was Amish made on their website but did not expect it to feel this soft.

When I ordered this holster I noticed that they have an option for an “RMR guard” and I selected the red dot that I have on my gun. I really wasn’t sure what this was since I had not seen it offered on any other holster before.

I was surprised when I received the holster to find that molded into the Kydex was a full guard for my red dot. Instead of being out and exposed like on other holsters, it is fully covered and protected.

I also selected the optional claw when I ordered it. This pushes the grip of my handgun closer to my body, and it is a feature I usually look for on an appendix holster.

Part of what makes this holster comfortable is it is wider than most other kydex or leather holsters. This helps to spread out any pressure over a wider area. Think of stepping on a small or large Lego and you get my drift.

But it does take up more room as a result. Blake has a small waist and he has been carrying this holster for a while. He says the only downside is the width makes it harder for him to carry a mag carrier IWB as well.

Hidden Hybrid offers many different gun models with this holster, but they only have pistol light options for a few gun models. They also do not have an integrated mag carrier option, but they do have an IWB option that is separate.

Recommended for:

The Hidden Hybrid Holsters Single Clip Holster is for anyone looking for a comfortable appendix holster. This is one of the most comfortable holsters we have found.

Video About Hidden Hybrid Holsters

Alien Gear Photon Holster – Best Value Appendix Holster

• Material: Kydex
• Handgun Models Available: Over 50
• Return Policy: 30 Day
• Warranty Policy: Lifetime
• MSRP: $44.88

The Alien Gear Photon holster is more than just a great AIWB holster, it is an entire holster system.

This holster comes with hardware to set it up as either an IWB holster or an OWB holster. I got their Photon mag carrier as well, and I set it up as an AIWB holster with a mag pouch side car.

All of this for a price that is one of the lowest on our list.

When I first setup my holster for my Glock 19, I found the adjustability allowed me to set it exactly where I wanted it. The sidecar attachment bracket has multiple options, as well as the clip on both the holster and the mag carrier. It took a few tries to get it exactly right, but I would rather have too many options than an uncomfortable holster.

This holster can be setup for either right-hand or left-hand draw. While not important for some, it is for us since some on our team are left-handed. If anyone in your family has a different dominant hand than you this holster will keep you from having to buy a unique holster just for them.

I really like the fact that this holster comes with plenty of spare hardware. Since I have switched my holster between IWB and OWB a few times, I dropped a few screws and was glad to have extras.

The holster does have an optional concealment claw that you can attach behind the holster clip. I don’t like how close it is to the clip, as it makes it a little hard to put the holster on.

I found that depending on the pants and belt I was using, the space between the clip and the claw was not enough. A thick belt and a thick waistband just won’t work.

My only dislike for this holster in the AIWB configuration was it does not have a full sweat guard. I found that I always needed to wear an undershirt with it otherwise the slide of my Glock was right against my skin, serrations, and all.

Overall, it is hard to beat the price and flexibility of this holster. When it is setup right it is comfortable and not a pain. There are a ton of gun models available, light bearing options as well.

Recommended for:

The Alien Gear Photon holster system is for anyone looking for a flexible AIWB holster with a magazine side car and light bearing options.

Video of the Alien Gear Photon Holster

Falco AIWB Leather Holster – Best Leather Appendix Holster

• Material: Leather
• Handgun Models Available: Over 100
• Return Policy: 30 Days
• Warranty Policy: Lifetime
• MSRP: $80

The Falco AIWB Leather Holster is one of the best leather AIWB holsters we have tried.

This holster is made from very high-quality Italian leather. This leather is a little different than the typical leather I am used to. It has some stiffness to it, which has some advantages.

Unlike most other leather holsters, this holster is custom molded to my gun. This makes it fit very well, almost as good as a Kydex holster.

I like how the top of the holster is reinforced with a second piece of leather on the front and around the sweat guard. This stiffens the opening of the holster and keeps it open after I draw my gun. Collapsing after drawing my gun is one of the biggest issues I have found with leather appendix holsters. But Falco has figured it out on this one.

The metal clip is attached to the front of the holster with a reinforced piece of leather. I can’t see it going anywhere. It feels very secure.

However, the clip is not adjustable since it is permanent. My holster feels like it is at a good ride height and cant angle, but some adjustment would be nice.

Since the leather is fairly stiff, I found that the edges can cause some skin irritation when I first started wearing it. Over time, this seems to have gotten better, so I feel like the edges have become softer. But it has taken a few weeks, so it does require some patience.

Overall the quality of this holster is amazing, and I expect it to last a long time. The leather gives it that classic look and feel of leather, with a retention that competes with Kydex.

Recommended for:

The Falco AIWB Leather Holster is for anyone looking for a classic leather appendix holster. The molded leather is hard to find anywhere else.

Video of the Falco Leather AIWB Holster with the Light Option

1791 Gunleather Smooth Concealment Holster – Best Universal Appendix Holster

• Material: Leather
• Handgun Models Available: Universal
• Return Policy: 30 Days
• Warranty Policy: Lifetime
• MSRP: $45.99

The 1791 Gunleather Smooth Concealment Holster is the best leather universal fit AIWB holster we have tried.

This holster comes in seven different sizes that will fit almost any handgun. Normally I do not recommend universal fit holsters since they often don’t fully guard they trigger, don’t have good retention, or have material around the sweat guard that interfered with my draw.

However, we tried this holster with five different concealed carry guns and for the most part did not have any of these issues. I felt that the Sig P365 XL was a little loose in the holster, and the sweat guard came up a little too high. However, fit was fine with the Glock 19, 43, and the S&W Shield.

This holster is made from top quality leather. It is durable, soft, and smells great as well. This makes it super comfortable, with none of the stiff edges that kydex holsters have.

I found that for some handguns this holster does need a break-in period. The process was easy with the included instructions. I just needed a plastic bag and it took a few days.

Over time I realized the holster forming to my handgun my body. The Leather just feels great. This holster is very low-profile and compact, so it is easy to wear.

The metal clip is easy to use, and it is attached to the holster with a reinforcing piece of leather. This makes it super strong, and I am not worried about it pulling away from the holster.

However, the clip is not adjustable since it is permanently attached to the holster. I didn’t find this to be an issue with the guns I tried, but it could be depending on the gun you are using and your body shape.

Since this holster is a soft leather AIWB holster, I found that it collapsed after I drew my handgun. I talk about this in the guide below. This is not a show stopper but it is an issue during training.

Recommended for:

The 1791 Gunleather Smooth Concealment AIWB Holster is for anyone looking for a comfortable leather appendix holster. The quality of the leather is amazing.

Video of the 1791 Smooth Concealment Holster

Stealth Gear Ventcore 1.0 AIWB Plus – Best Hybrid AIWB Holster

• Material: Hybrid
• Handgun Models Available: Over 75
• Return Policy: 30 Days
• Warranty Policy: Lifetime
• MSRP: $129

The Stealth Gear Ventcore 1.0 AIWB Plus appendix holster is one of the best hybrid holsters we have found.

This holster has a hybrid design (learn more in our guide below). But instead of leather, it has a unique breathable fabric for the backing.

This fabric is what sets it apart from all other holsters. I noticed that it is super comfortable without having the issues with sweat that leather does. Leather breaks down when it is subjected to a lot of sweat, so it is best to wear an undershirt between it and your skin.

In very hot weather, I usually don’t want to wear an undershirt. So, this holster is my goto option. I have tried all of the Stealth Gear holsters and can say this fabric really makes a difference.

The Kydex shell fully protects my handgun and has perfect retention that is adjustable.

I like that it has a built-in sidecar for an extra magazine. It is easy to just throw this holster on, and I don’t have to worry about a separate mag carrier for my spare magazine.

I also like the clip on this holster. It is adjustable for ride height and cant angle and I can also tuck my shirt in behind it. The other holsters on our list don’t offer this, so this is the one I go for when I need to dress up and tuck in my shirt.

There are a bunch of gun models available for this holster, and plenty of light and laser options as well.

Recommended for:

The Stealth Gear Ventcore 1.0 AIWB Plus appendix holster is for anyone looking for a comfortable appendix holster for hot weather with a mag side car.

Video Review of the Stealth Gear AIWB Plus Holster

Cross Breed Xecutive – Best Budget Appendix Holster

• Material: Kydex
• Handgun Models Available: Over 75
• Return Policy: 30 Days
• Warranty Policy: Lifetime
• MSRP: $39.95

The Crossbreed Xecutive Holster is our pick for the best budget appendix holster.

If you have a tight budget and still want a decent appendix holster, this is the one for you.

I like that this Kydex holster is a compact, minimalist design. It is very slim which helps with comfort.

These holsters are custom made, so safety and retention is there as well.

I found that there are a bunch of options available with this holster. There is a ModWing attachment that provides better concealment (similar to a claw on other holsters).

There are six different clips available, including belt loops and tuckable clips. There is also a foam wedge available that helps to make this holster more comfortable.

However, these options do cost extra. So by the time you add a couple it actually costs more than our top pick above. I would recommend going with the CYA Ridge holster unless your budget is tight and you don’t want or can afford any other option.

Recommended for:

The Crossbreed Xecutive Holster is for anyone with a super tight budget that needs a safe appendix holster.

Video of the Xecutive holster (same as N8 Tactical)

Best Appendix Holster Tips – What to Look For

In our experience, finding an appendix (AIWB) holster that works for us and our handgun is one of the most difficult choices out of all the holster types.

I have found that so much depends on your body shape, handgun, clothing, and how you wear the holster. Even on our team one of us can try a holster and really like it while the others do not.

In this guide we will give you some tips on what we found when trying and actually using appendix holsters with a variety of our favorite concealed carry handguns.

Keep reading to find our tips that you won’t find anywhere else.

Important AIWB Holster Features

First, there are some important features that you need to look for when choosing an Appendix Holster.

Safety is always most important.

Some people (rightfully so) do not like appendix carry because when you sit or bend over the gun is pointed at your body. In a sensitive place I might add.

Carrying a handgun in the appendix position is perfectly safe if you have a holster that fully guards the trigger and retains the handgun properly.

If your holster does not fully guard the trigger do not use it.

This leads us to the second most important feature…

Retention

No matter what kind of holster you use, it should retain your handgun. This is especially important for appendix carry.

This is important so that the trigger always remains guarded. If your gun is wiggling around in the holster it could come out partially and expose the trigger.

I know when I feel something falling my natural reaction is to grab it. Imagine if you bend over to pick something up and your gun slides up and you grab it as a reaction. You could accidentally hit the trigger while the gun is pointed at your groin.

I have found that Kydex holsters made for my particular model of handgun usually have the best retention. Some leather holsters are custom molded and are nearly as good as well.

Universal holsters are hit and miss depending on the handgun. If you are considering a holster that works for many different guns, my experience is that those that work for the least number of guns (more sizes of holster) work better.

Comfort/Adjustability

Nearly everyone I talk to about AIWB holsters talks about how comfortable they are (or not). After all, there is a big chuck of metal down your pants.

There are a few things you can look for before you try the holster to know if it is comfortable or not.

Look to see how rounded the holster is around the bottom. This is the area that could cause the most pain around your groin area. Holsters that have flat or pointed edges should be avoided as they can cause pressure points of pain.

Also note if the belt clip is adjustable. This will give you the most options in where the holster rides on your body. For larger guns I have found this to be even more important.

Draw Grip

The whole reason for carrying a concealed handgun in the appendix position is so you can get to it quickly. While speed is important, getting a good full grip on the handgun is more important.

I have found that if I don’t have a full grip on my gun when I draw, I am trying to reposition my grip as I aim. This really slows me down and also causes me to be inaccurate.

In some cases I have seen others almost drop their gun during the draw process because their grip was hindered by the holster or their clothing.

The grip of your handgun should be high enough over the waist of your pants so that you can wrap your fingers around it. The backstrap of the gun should also not be covered by the sweat guard of the holster.

Similarly to retention, I have found that most holsters that are custom made for a particular gun usually allow a good draw grip. A holster with an adjustable clip will also allow you to move it to the best place for you.

Re-holstering

While it may not seem super critical during a self-defense situation, I have found that being able to holster my handgun without taking the holster off is important.

In order to be proficient with drawing and operating my handgun, training has been important. If I have to take the holster off every time I need to holster my handgun, it is a big waste of time and an aggravation. I find that I don’t train as much and really don’t want to use that holster.

If I was in an emergency and had to draw my handgun, I want to be able to re holster it quickly. I may need to help others or do some other task quickly.

Concealing Features

Carrying a handgun in the appendix position is one of the most concealable methods for most people. However, since appendix holsters are often narrow in width, I have found that the holster and the grip of my handgun can rotate away from my body, causing it to “print”.

The best Appendix holsters will have a “wing” or “claw” that extends from near the trigger on the holster and presses against inside of my waistband. This keeps the grip of my handgun close to my body and better concealed.

These wings can make it harder to put the holster on or can be too aggressive. The best appendix holsters will have adjustable claws (like the CYA Drift) or they will have sloping wings (like the Harry’s Holsters Infiltrator).

Clothing Considerations

In my experience, when most people complain that appendix carry is uncomfortable, it is because they are not wearing the holster correctly.

The first consideration is my pant size. If my pants can stay up without a belt, they are usually too tight for an appendix carry holster. After all, my pants have to not only accommodate me, but my gun and holster as well.

I usually get pants that are one size larger than I need. It is even better if they have some elastic in the waistband as well.

A stiff gun belt is also a must have. Since my pants are loose and my holster is attached to it, it needs to be stiff and durable since it is holding everything in place. If I keep having to adjust it and my pants move up and down a lot, it becomes uncomfortable.

I have also found that when carrying an appendix holster, I need to keep the bottom of the holster above my hip joint. This is so I can bend over and sit down comfortably.

I normally wear my pants a little lower than most people just because of my body shape. This is a problem for appendix carry since it puts the lower part of my holster right into my groin.

I find that I have to pull my pants up higher to get the holster in the right position. This is the biggest issue for most people and carrying appendix. If you have a belly that keeps you from getting your pants up high enough appendix carry may not be for you.

Appendix holsters are also most comfortable when worn in the center of the body. This is because this area offers the most room. If I slide my holster over to the 1 o’clock position, the bottom of the holster is closer to my leg and can be uncomfortable when I sit down or bend over.

I also like to wear a tight-fitting shirt under my AIWB holster. This keeps the holster from rubbing my skin and getting sweaty. If you don’t want to wear an undershirt, I have found that hybrid holsters are comfortable since they have a soft material against my skin.

Appendix Holster Materials

The only materials you should consider for an AIWB holster are Kydex and Leather. Holsters that are a hybrid design have both of these materials.

Kydex

Kydex is a type of polymer that can be formed to the specific shape of each gun model. Kydex works great for appendix holsters since it is a durable and rigid material. I know that my kydex holster is safe because it is securely holding my gun.

I like that Kydex holsters require no maintenance. Water or sweat doesn’t affect them and they are easy to clean. I find that most Kydex holsters have an adjustable retention screw so I can adjust the holster to my gun.

However, since Kydex is a hard, rigid material, they can be uncomfortable if they have any edges or points like I mentioned before. Make sure your Kydex appendix holster has rounded edges and no corners that can poke you.

Leather

A leather AIWB holster can be very comfortable. I like how leather just gets better with age as it forms to my body. It is a natural material that looks great and smells great as well.

But there are some things to watch out for.

Sweat can break down leather and cause it to deteriorate. I have found it best to wear an undershirt between the holster and my skin to prevent this as much as possible.

Leather usually requires break-in and maintenance as well. Moisture is the main enemy, so you do have to take care in how you clean it. I like to keep a care and maintenance kit on hand like the Craft Leather Care Kit.

Leather can soften over time and could become a safety issue if the areas around the trigger become soft. You also need to pay close attention to the retention of your handgun. With repeated use I have found it will eventually become too loose.

Hybrid

A Hybrid holster combines the comfort of leather with the retention and durability of kydex.

These holsters have a durable fabric or leather backing that sits against my body with a kydex shell attached to the front.

They are just as safe as a full kydex or leather holster, as long as they fully guard the trigger and have good retention.

The only disadvantage I have found is that some of them can be bulkier than a compact kydex holster. For a larger gun like a Walther PDP it can make a difference.

However, I have found that hybrid holsters are great in warm weather. I really don’t need an undershirt with them and they don’t cause as much skin irritation as a kydex holster does.

Price of an Appendix Holster

A good quality AIWB holster is between $50 and $100. Considering that this is much less than the cost of the handgun and ammo, there is no reason to try to save a few bucks here. A cheap $25 holster on Amazon may not be safe and will likely be a waste of money anyway.

Purchase from a reputable company with a good return and warranty policy. We have specifically listed this on all the holsters above so you can be sure you are buying from a good source.

The Best Appendix Holster for You

We hope this guide is helpful in finding the best appendix holster for you. I understand finding one that is both comfortable and functional is a challenge.

The holsters above are the best we have found after years of trying different ones. I hope that one of them becomes the perfect holster for you. But, if it does not, they all have great return policies.

The CYA Drift holster is a great appendix holster at a very good price.

If you have a larger gun you may want to go with Harry’s Holster Infiltrator. The rounded design and adjustability will really help.

Now that you have learned about Appendix Holsters, check out our other holster guides in the Defend Guides and Gear Reviews. Our Emergency preparation and Survival guides also have a ton of information that so hand in hand with self-defense.

Go back to the main Concealed Carry Guide

What are the requirements of a good cartridge? Being easy to use, good speed, good trajectory, etc. are common features. In these terms, people choose cartridges for themselves. People find it difficult to find what is the difference between a 17 HMR and a 17 WSM?

Both these cartridges are great to use. But you’re here to know the differences between them, and you’re about to purchase one of them. Right? Besides, your rifle will come with respect to the cartridge you choose. And you should also pick a perfect scope for 17 WSM to have a good experience.

What is the difference between a 17 HMR and a 17 WSM?

You are reading this article as you need to find what is the difference between a 17 HMR and a 17 WSM? Consumers had a great experience using both these cartridges.

But you cannot blindly select one of these. You have to filter one of them out based on some parameters. Believe it or not, the following specifications will help you to make a proper decision.

Speed:

In the case of a cartridge, speed is one of the requirements that consumers demand. If the cartridge cannot get enough velocity, then it is useless. Passionate rifle users like to have fast bullets in their rifles.

The speed of 17 HMR is greater with respect to 17 WSM. It is light in weight. As a result, it travels faster than the other. It is suitable to hunt birds or other animals at close range.If needed, you can use affordable thermal imaging scopes for WSM with its rifle.

The speed of 17 WSM is less than 17 HMR. It is heavier. So, it travels with less speed. However, it can make a hole in thick objects. Thick objects cannot be penetrated with thin bullets. So, this bullet is suitable for people who will use it to penetrate thick objects.

Cost:

Cost plays an important role while choosing cartridges. If your potential cartridge use is high, then you should go for the cheapest cartridge available.

The 17 WSM is more expensive between 17 HMR and 17 WSM. The 17HMR costs 20 cents only, whereas 17 WSM costs 30 cents. So, the cost difference is negligible for these cartridges. But you are not buying only one cartridge; you will buy hundreds or thousands of cartridges. However, this little amount can have a great effect in the long run.

The cost of the HMR might even get chipper in time. IT is completely the opposite case for the 17 WSM. 17 WSM will get out of the market sooner or later. As more and more cartridges are coming into the market, the public is losing interest in buying 17 WSM. The production rate has reduced, as well. So, the cartridge and the rifle both might get out of the market as well. As the quantity gets decreased, the seller might take advantage of it. People who have 17 WSM rifles have to buy 17 WSM cartridges, as it will not be available anymore, the seller will sell the product for a higher price.

Field Performance:

The core fact of cartridges is field performance. The choice of cartridge changes based on this parameter. Based on this parameter, other parameters are subjected to change.

Based on the distance of the target, your choice of cartridges will change. A lot of factors come along with an increase in distance.

In terms of a distant shot, time plays an important role. As time increases, the trajectory goes downward. The cartridge has to keep the trajectory for longer distances. If the trajectory decreases, the probability of the cartridge to miss the target will increase.

The wind may have other impacts as well—for example, wind deflection. When a bullet leaves the rifle, it starts flying with velocity in one direction. The wind is flying in another direction. As a result, the bullet might get deflected from the target.

The 17 WSM is the better cartridge to have a better field performance at a greater distance. Both these cartridges can work with the wind. Though, the WSM works better than the other in terms of long-distance.

17 HMR is great for a short distance. It is fun to work with. It has got a better speed than the other. It creates less noise than the 17 WSM. These are needed to hit the target at a short distance.

However, none of these cartridges should be used for self-defense, where many other cartridges are available. 17 HMR and 17 WSM both should be avoided in this term.

Availability:

Availability is a factor that many people do not consider. It creates different types of problem letters.

The 17 HMR cartridge is available. You may go to any ammunition store and find 17 HMR. The rifle of 17 HRM is also available everywhere. As the rifle is available, it is relatively easy to find separate parts if needed to fix the rifle.

The 17 WSM cartridge is not available everywhere. And it’ll be a hassle to find out either. You would find it difficult to find separate parts of the rifle if needed. The cartridge is a special kind. You can’t use this cartridge in any rifle, either. You need to have the 17 WSM rifle to use this cartridge.

In terms of availability, 17 HMR should be your choice.

Final Words

You are looking to find a cartridge that suits you. Go through the parameters given above before making your final decision. And you’ll be able to make a list of what is the difference between a 17 HMR and a 17 WSM? You should be economical while buying cartridges. So, 17 HMR is obviously a better choice for you.

If you need to hit a target at 450 meters distance under strong wind, buying 17 HMR is useless. The 17 HMR will fly up to 150-250 meters and then drop on the ground. You will need 17 WSM to do the job under such conditions. So, all these factors should be considered to get the best cartridge.

By Wayne van Zwoll

The idea for a short-action cartridge rivaling .30-06 performance has been around since before the Depression. But once the M1 Garand carried us through World War II, military circles took up the short-.30 banner with an experimental infantry round.

The T65 was essentially a .30-06 with a shorter 51mm rather than 63mm case. In a fit of brilliance, Winchester snatched the design for its hunting roster and in 1952 dubbed it the .308. Two years later the U.S. Army adopted the 7.62×51 cartridge and urged its acceptance by NATO, which complied in 1957.

Its debut in our M14 infantry arm, then in rifles and machine guns abroad, ensured a future for the 7.62×51 NATO. When the M16 replaced the M14 in the Vietnam War during the 1960s (read my article comparing 5.56 NATO vs. .223 here), production of 7.62x51mm ammunition continued.

National Match loads fueled by 41.7 grains IMR 4895 kicked 174-gr. BTHP bullets to 2,548 fps. Tracer, frangible, armor-piercing and grenade-launching loads followed.

To hunters, infantry cartridges have all the cachet of beige filing cabinets. While the .308’s short stature, light weight, low case cost and function in self-loading guns initially served military interests, sportsmen of that day were more seduced by new belted magnums. Utility, like wisdom, can be an acquired taste.

A Second Look

But the .308 soon earned plaudits afield. Commercial makers began to chamber bolt-action, lever-action, pump-action and autoloaders in the round.

The .308 case holds 20 percent less powder than a .30-06, and about 40 percent more than a .30-30. It has roughly half the capacity of a .300 Weatherby Magnum.

Traditional loads sent 150-gr. softpoints at 2,820 fps, 90 fps shy of listed speed for those bullets in a .30-06 but 190 fps faster than their exit from the old .300 Savage round.

Seth Swerzcek at Hornady tells me its top-selling .308 load is still the 150-gr. SST, albeit Superformance ammo with 165-gr. InterBonds at 2,840 fps brings more muscle.

Bench Rest shooters embraced the .308. With it, Dave Hall drilled a .4612 knot to win the Sporter class at the 1967 National Matches. In ‘68, Ferris Pindell won with a .3594 group from his .308.

Meanwhile, the round was proving itself in military circles internationally as the 7.62×51 NATO.

What’s the Difference?

One of the biggest questions when comparing the 7.62 vs. 308 is “what’s the difference?”

The cases are identical — same 2.015 length, 20-degree shoulder, .473 rim. Body and neck are the same. Cartridges are loaded to the same 2.800 overall length.

Of course, loads can differ. Military units and LE agencies may specify bullets of limited use to hunters, and port pressures to operate service rifles.

“We use the same brass and primers for commercial and service-contract ammo,” says Swerzcek. “Typically, Hornady recommends loads for a contract. Officials approve or tweak specs. We hew to them.”

Standards of both rounds are governed by SAAMI and its European equivalent, CIP.

“Wait!” you howl. Maximum average breech pressures differ, with the .308 having the higher range. Gunsmithing instructor Fred Zeglin notes different measuring methods can yield such disparities. Swerzcek agrees.

“The first 7.62×51 NATO pressures were retrieved by copper crusher. Current piezo-electric reads on .308 ammo are more precise and repeatable, often higher.”

Jeff Hoffman at Black Hills Ammunition notes differences in measurement location. “Pressures for the 7.62×51 NATO may be taken at the case mouth instead of mid-case. We check production at both places, commonly seeing slightly lower values at the mouth.”

He also says velocities for the 7.62×51 NATO are often taken 78 feet from the muzzle, not SAAMI’s standard 15. “A small difference, but important if you’re loading thousands of rounds to exacting standards.”

What about maximum horizontal range? It’s listed at 4,500 yards for the .308, and 5,500 for the 7.62×51. “Different bullets in the trials,” say ballisticians. At extreme range, ballistic coefficient rules.

SAAMI diagrams show a headspace measure of 1.630 to 1.640 for the .308. A Frankfurt Arsenal diagram indicates a range of 1.628 to 1.634 for the 7.62×51 NATO cartridge case, while JGS reamers are held to 1.630-.640 for the .308 and 7.62×51 NATO. Barrel-maker John Krieger tells me even his reamers with special-order throats hew to SAAMI headspace specs.

Freebore and leade angle are where .308 and 7.62×51 NATO chambers seem to differ. For .308s, JGS shows .900 freebore of .3100 diameter, with a 1-45 leade angle. Chambers in 7.62×51 NATO are cut with 1.355 of 3.095 freebore, a 5-40 leade angle. Government diagrams confirm that steep leade.

A New Twist?

A common twist for both cartridges is the original 1-in-12. For the leggy bullets popular now, faster spin is common. Krieger uses and has rifled barrels 1-in-11 for high-power competition, with bullets as heavy (long) as 220-gr. MatchKings.

Dave Tooley’s Bench Rest experience nudges him toward modest spin rates. Having chambered more than 7,000 barrels, he likes 1-in-12 twist even for long-range bullets. “An exceptional 1-in-14 Hart barrel held half-minute accuracy with flat-base 187s at 1,000 yards.”

Hornady ballistician Scott Javins agrees with Tooley that targets tell the story. But he understands shooters choosing sharper spin.

“They heed caveats from bullet-makers, and gyroscopic stability values.” GS, he explains, responds dramatically to higher spin rates. “A 168-gr. ELD Match at 2,546 fps from a .308 barrel with 1-in-11¼ rifling spins at 162,960 rpm. GS: 2.08. The same bullet sent at 2,528 fps from a 1-in-8 bore spins at 223,830 rpm. GS: 4.11.”

He adds that GS disparities may not show up on targets or game at ordinary ranges.

Which Is Better: 7.62 or .308?

While the 7.62×51 NATO designation remains common in military circles and abroad, it’s all but gone from commercial loads stateside with just a few offerings here and there. The .308, however, dominates ammo rosters, with 79 loads from five U.S. ammo makers. Federal catalogs 24 loads, Hornady 17. Even Norma of Sweden has seven loads, more than for any other cartridge in its line. No centerfire round is chambered in more rifles worldwide.

What’s the Bottom Line?

All modern .308 rifles can chamber and shoot modern .308 and 7.62 NATO ammunition without any problems, such as the SAINT Victor .308 rifles. The 7.62 NATO M1A can also safely fire both rounds.

If you plan on using a surplus rifle chambered in either .308 Win or 7.62 NATO, you should have the gun’s headspace checked by a professional to ensure you can safely shoot .308 ammunition. You can also check this on your own with quality Go-NoGo headspace gauges.

Editor’s Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the “Go To Forum Thread” link below to jump in and discuss this article and much more!

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We will be looking at rifle cartridges that have a velocity of over 3,500 feet per second. There are not many of these out there. That’s because rifle cartridges aren’t the most effective mechanisms for creating high projectile speed.

If you really want to see fast projectile speed, there are a few examples. A depleted-uranium penetrator rod fired from a 120mm smoothbore main gun on the M-1 Abrams tank can go as fast as 6,000 fps. Then there’s the Navy’s Rail Gun, which uses electric current to accelerate projectiles up to 8,000 fps.

Keep in mind that velocity also produces a lot of recoils and also puts a strain on the projectile itself. There needs to be a balance between the force behind the shot to the durability of the brass cartridge as well as your shoulders. Then, there’s also the barrel durability to consider. If your ordinary rifle cartridge goes up to 8,000 fps, then it would either break apart the moment it leaves the barrel, breaks the barrel, or dislocates your shoulders from the recoil.

With that in mind, it’s already a significant achievement for rifle cartridges to breach that goes faster than 3,500 or even 4,000 feet per second while still being safe for the shooter. We’ve pretty much achieved peak velocity in 1935 when the .220 Swift reached 4,110 fps with a 48-grain bullet.

Nowadays, you can get a Swift that can top 4,300 fps without blowing itself up. Other than that, only a few cartridges can go up to 4,500 fps. To this day, no rifle cartridges managed to breach 5,000 fps. I suspect that it wouldn’t happen unless we’ve developed new bullet or gunpowder technology, or that we use something else other than gunpowder and bullets.

Consider subscribing to our channel if you haven’t already for more content like this. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

1. The .220 Swift

Winchester came up with the .220 Swift by trimming down the neck of the 6mm Lee Navy. Not many people know of this cartridge since it only served briefly in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps with its straight-pull M 1895 rifle. Neither the gun nor its cartridge found success and they were ditched in favor of the .30/40 Krag-Jorgensen, which u nfortunately did not remain in service for long either.

The case is definitely large for a .22 centerfire and it is also semi-rimmed. To produce the Swift, Winchester had to design bullets that can withstand extreme speed, which is harder than you may think. I’ve seen the lead cores of some Swifts melting into liquid moments before hitting the target. Sometimes, the bullets would vaporize soon after leaving the barrel. That’s the kind of stress bullets are subjected to at such extreme speeds.

In addition, the speed also causes significant wear on the barrel itself. To fix this problem, Winchester turned to stainless, but then found out that it’s not possible to blue stainless steel. So they opted to iron-plate the tubes first, then blue them.

Unfortunately, the Swift was not well-received. You can thank certain gun writers for that since they labeled it as unnatural, creepy, and even dangerous. They went on to talk nonsense about it. Despite the tarnished reputation by the media, the Swift managed to survive for the simple fact that it is very accurate, fun to shoot, and does not have any more problems than other cartridges.

A 50-grain bullet can reach 3,900 fps. A 40-grain might be able to reach 4,300. If you want to down a big game in a shot without feeling much in the way of recoil, I believe 60-70-grain bullets will suffice.

2. The .257 Weatherby Magnum

This cartridge is also an ancient round, similar to the Swift. Despite its age, it has been holding up pretty well. It was designed by Roy Weatherby in 1944 and was put up for sale just a year later. Among the entire line from Roy, this one is his favorite. When people called upon to cite the virtues of hypervelocity, Roy pointed to this cartridge.

The .257 Weatherby Magnum is based on the H&H Super 30 and it is normal for all Weatherby Magnums to have very little body taper, a sharp and radiused shoulder, and plenty of powder capacity. This cartridge definitely packs a punch. Back then, Weatherby rifles used to have 24-inch barrels and with 87-grain Hornady bullets, you can expect the velocity around 3,750 fps.

If you’re thinking that this is too much for varmints, then you would be right. This would pulverize small critters. So, the .257 is best used on big game at long range where this cartridge excels. I have the best experience using 115- and 120-grain Nosler Partitions, which have a velocity in the neighborhood of 3,400 fps. Despite the velocity, the recoil is surprisingly light, especially when you think how much powder is in there. That said, the noise would be severe and the barrel life would be quite short.

3. The .30/378 Weatherby

So far, I’ve been discussing cartridges that fire only light bullets. This one deals in slugs that are 180-200 grains or more. The start of its career is quite strange as well. It all started in 1959 when the Army asked Roy Weatherby to put together a single rifle/cartridge combination so they could test the effect of hyper-velocity metal fragments on armor to mimic exploded artillery rounds.

Weatherby came up with a smoothbore rifle and he necked down his .378 round to .30 caliber. With these, he managed to achieve 5,000 fps. Of course, words of this terrifying firepower got out and the .30/378 immediately became popular. In 1996, Weatherby made it a production cartridge and it is one of his most popular rounds to date. He loads a wide variety of ammo for it. The 165-grain Barnes copper bullet can reach the velocity of 3,450 fps and the 220-grain Hornady ELD-X could reach up to 3,050 fps.

Of course, this amount of firepower is only suitable for the big game at extreme distances. Prudent hunters would choose to go with the heaviest slug possible since it would retain the most velocity over the distance. Weatherby puts a 26-inch barrel to its rifles in this caliber, so you can’t go any shorter than that. Also, you must use a brake.

Also, only use this cartridge when your target is at least 400 yards away. The further the better. Any closer than that and the damage would be horrendous. Ear protection is a must, even when hunting. The barrel life is also short, with some shooters reporting that theirs lasted as little as 600 rounds.

4. The .224 Clark

If you look at pure performance, this cartridge shouldn’t be on this list since its velocity is only 3,550 fps. However, I feel it wouldn’t do it justice considering that the Clark was designed in the early 60s. It managed to achieve that velocity with 80-grain bullets, so this is a cartridge that is at least five decades ahead of modern long-range loads such as the .224 Valkyrie. The Valkyrie achieved the same speed with 90-grainers.

The .224 Clark was the masterpiece made by a gunsmith named Kenneth Clark from Moderna, California. He figured out that initial velocity isn’t everything, but rather the retained speed downrange. He knew this half a century before everyone else. So now, you have .223 shooters who are required to use 77-grain bullets for mid-range targets at around 600 yards.

Clark then selected the .257 Roberts case, blew it out, and gave it a 30-degree shoulder. He then designed his own 80- and 82-grain bullets. The best rate of twist was 1-9, which is incredibly fast. Understandably, this puts a lot of stress on the slugs. To fix this problem, Clark built them strong and came up with a double jacket for heavier slugs, because he knew that people would use this for the big game.

The .224 Clark worked well, but it never became that popular and it eats through barrels quickly as well. Nonetheless, it is definitely a cartridge that is way ahead of its time and is worth mentioning in this list.

5. The .22 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer

If you want to go hard, then this is the best option for you. The .22 EL was created in the 1960s by a gunsmith named P.O. Ackley. His goal was to create a cartridge that can achieve 5,000 fps. It was the apocalyptic .378 Weatherby Magnum necked down to .224, with pretty much no other changes made.

Then, Ackley shipped the .22 EL rifle off to Bob Hutton who operated Hutton’s Rifle Range in Topanga, California. He did all the rifle testing for Guns & Ammo magazine in the 60s. Bob’s range was located in a box canyon, so he could make as much noise as he wanted. He would definitely be called in for questioning nowadays if someone hears the ruckus he was causing. With 50-grain bullets, Bob managed to hit 4,600 fps, but could not quite breach that 5,000 fps barrier. It is possible that we could make it using ultra-slow powders today.

There’s a lot of debate about whether or not deer can swim. Some people say that they definitely can, while others are convinced that the creatures would sink like a stone. So, what’s the truth?

In this blog post, we’ll explore the question of whether deer can swim and offer some insights into their aquatic abilities. Stay tuned!

Can Deer Swim?

The simple answer is Yes, Deer Can Swim. Deer are excellent swimmers, reaching speeds of around 15 mph in the water. According to one study, deer can swim up to four miles without rest!

How Fast Can Deer Swim?

Deer can swim quite fast, usually around 15 mph. For reference, most non-Olympic swimmers clock in at approximately 6 mph. Some of the animals that hunt deer are pretty good at swimming too. Some bears can swim at a speed of 6.2mpg, and alligators can get up to 20mph! So the number makes sense to help deer have a chance to get away from their predators!

Why are Deer Such Good Swimmers?

There are several reasons why deer are such effective swimmers. These include:

• Body shape: Deer are sleek and streamlined, which helps them move through the water quickly.
• Webbed feet: Deer have webbing between their toes, which gives them extra propulsion in the water.
• Waterproof coat: The deer’s coat is waterproof, helping to keep them warm and dry while swimming.
• Powerful Legs: Deer have long, powerful legs that help them swim long distances.

Why Do Deer Swim?

There are several reasons why deer might swim. These include:

To escape predators: If a deer is being chased by a predator, it may swim across a body of water to escape.

To reach food: Deer may swim to an island or other land mass in search of food.

To migrate: Some deer species migrate between islands, and swimming is the only way to travel between them.

What Dangers do Deer Face When Swimming?

Despite being good swimmers, deer can face several dangers when swimming. These include:

Drowning: If a deer gets caught in a current or tries to swim too far, they can easily become exhausted and drown.

Predators: While swimming, deer are vulnerable to predators such as alligators, crocodiles, and sharks.

Humans: In some areas, humans hunt deer from boats. This can be extremely dangerous for the deer and often results in injury or death.

How Can You Help Protect Deer from Drowning?

There are several things you can do to help protect deer from drowning. These include:

Never feed deer near water: If you feed deer near water, they may become accustomed to coming to the water’s edge to eat. This can put them at risk of getting caught in a current or being attacked by predators.

Keep your distance: If you see a deer swimming, resist the urge to approach it. Getting too close can startle the deer and cause it to panic, which could lead to drowning.

Respect hunting regulations: In some areas, it is legal to hunt deer from boats. If this is allowed in your area, be sure to follow all hunting regulations and use extreme caution to avoid injuring or killing the deer.

Water Deer are Even Better at Swimming:

Did you know that water deer are even better at swimming than their land-dwelling cousins? These amazing creatures can swim up to six miles without resting!

Water deer are native to Asia and can be found in China, Korea, and Japan. They get their name from their unique appearance—they have no antlers and their noses resemble small snouts. Water deer are excellent swimmers and often use rivers and lakes to escape from predators.

What Do Water Deer Look Like?

Water deer are small animals, measuring about two feet long and weighing up to 30 pounds. They have reddish-brown fur and small, round ears. As their name suggests, water deer have a unique appearance—they have no antlers and their noses resemble small snouts.

What Do Water Deer Eat?

Water deer are herbivores and their diet consists mainly of grasses and aquatic plants. They also eat fruit, nuts, and occasionally small insects or fish.

How Do Water Deer Behave?

Water deer are shy and solitary animals. They are most active at night and spend their days hiding in the dense vegetation near waterways. Water deer are excellent swimmers and often use rivers and lakes to escape from predators.

What Are the Biggest Threats to Water Deer?

The biggest threats to water deer are habitat loss and hunting. In some parts of Asia, water deer are hunted for their meat and fur. Habitat loss is also a major threat to these creatures—as development encroaches on their natural habitats, water deer are losing the places they need to live and thrive.

FAQs

How Far are Deer Likely to Swim?

Deer are strong swimmers and can easily cover long distances. In fact, water deer are even better at swimming than their land-dwelling cousins! These amazing creatures can swim up to six miles without resting. So, if you see a deer swimming across a river or lake, don’t be surprised—they’re just doing what comes naturally to them.

Do all Deer Swim?

No, not all deer swim. While most deer are good swimmers, there are some species that don’t swim at all. For example, red deer—the largest type of deer—are not known to swim. Other non-swimming deer include reindeer, elk, and moose. These animals usually avoid bodies of water because they are not good swimmers and can easily become exhausted and drown.

How Do Water Deer Communicate?

Water deer use a variety of vocalizations to communicate with each other. These include grunts, bleats, and whistles. Water deer also communicate through body language, using their tails, ears, and antlers to send signals.

Can Deer swim in the ocean? 

Yes, deer can swim in the ocean. In fact, many deer are excellent swimmers and can cover long distances in the water. However, not all deer are good swimmers—some species, such as red deer, don’t swim at all.

Do Deer Need to Drink Water?

Deer need to drink water just like any other animal. They usually get the water they need from the plants they eat. However, during dry periods, when food is scarce, deer will seek out sources of water to drink.

Can Deer swim underwater? 

No, deer cannot swim underwater. They are good swimmers and can cover long distances in the water, but they cannot breathe underwater.

How Do Water Deer Avoid Predators?

Water deer have a few different strategies for avoiding predators. They are most active at night, when predators are less likely to be around. They also spend their days hiding in the dense vegetation near waterways. And, if all else fails, they can use their excellent swimming skills to escape from danger.

Fred Bear is the father of modern bow hunting. Born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, Bear didn’t even hunt until late into his 20’s. But his passion for the outdoors, conservation, and hunting grew quickly.

In 1933 Bear found himself unemployed during the Depression. He and a friend saved a small amount of money (huge for that time) and created Bear Archery that year.

Bear struggled for many years. But as more states allowed bowhunting and its popularity grew, Bear was at the forefront of the race. Bear spent his entire life dedicated to improving the hunting experience. Archery hunting today is still marked with Bear’s wisdom. Here is a small part of his legacy and why he is still relevant to bowhunting today.

Knowledge

“You can learn more about hunting deer with a bow and arrow in a week than a gun hunter will learn in his entire life.”

Bear hunted everything with a bow, from small game to Kodiak brown bears. He knew those animals well. One could argue that there are skilled rifle hunters that have animal smarts. But it’s a hard sell to say that a rifle brings you as close to learning all the quirks, body language, and sign of any animal the way bowhunting does. Archery, in its nature, forces a hunter to study the habits of animals and improve the skills needed to get closer to them.

A rifleman may know of a scrape or deer trails along travel routes. But a bowhunter needs to know precisely what will occur in those spots. He needs to be concerned with the smallest details of his entry and exit access. There is less room for error with wind and thermal currents. The close shooting range needed to make an ethical shot is only a fraction of what most gun hunters need.

When a bowhunter finds a place to hunt, he has to imagine the deer standing right where he is. He has to know why a deer wants to be in that spot. A hunt that fails to be a student of the woods is hunting almost purely on luck.

Investment

“If you consider an unsuccessful hunt to be a waste of time, then the true meaning of the chase eludes you.”

Remember when you were a brand new hunter? Your whole pre-hunt was spent hoping to come home with something you shot. But think back to the first time you saw a deer in the woods. Most of us weren’t even close to that animal.

My dad and uncle always said, “Well, we didn’t get anything, but we sure had fun!” After I saw my first deer when hunting, I finally understood that statement. My knees and hands shook so hard that there would have been no way I would have been able to draw my bow even if that deer had been close enough.

Bringing meat home to the table is an awesome bonus. But the fun is built into the hunt itself! Start thinking this way, and every one of your hunts will be a good one.

Self-Improvement

“Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person.”

Today, managing stress and self-care is a popular topic. Therapists, medicine, classes, special exercises, the list goes on. There are more and more medical diagnoses emerging. Suicide rates increase every day. Face it; the real truth is that people are hurting.

I’m not claiming that being outdoors and hunting is the way to fix it all. In fact, many of those options I listed are needed methods of help. But plenty of research proves that unplugging from the world and being outside in nature significantly decreases stress. With a targeted goal in mind and the surroundings of a hunter, hunting is one of the best stress relievers, and it can’t be bought.

Expertise

“The flight of the arrow is as true as the skill and the nerve of the man with the bow.”

Nothing in the world will test your nerves more than a giant whitetail buck. They can make the biggest baddest dude shake like a leaf when up close and personal.

Having a goal of shooting a big buck seems simple. But it’s far more complex than you’d imagine. It’s a good idea to aim for the clouds before you aim for the stars. If you haven’t killed any deer with your bow, start with whatever you get. If that’s a doe or any legal buck, so be it. Your skill will improve, and you’ll be better because of it. As a result, more success will be at the end of the blood trails you follow.

Passing Thoughts

Of all the things hunters do, the one thing they don’t often do is think about why they love to hunt. I’m sure most could rattle off a superficial list of good reasons, but they’d likely miss the big picture.

There isn’t anything quite like bowhunting, and Fred Bear said it best.

” When a hunter is in a tree stand with high moral values and with the proper hunting ethics and richer to the experience, that hunter is 20 feet closer to God.”

Author: Aaron Hepler

Beretta’s APX Carry is the most recent version of the APX line of polymer-outline, striker-discharged guns. Like the APX Carry in measurements and having the equivalent particular body outline is the Beretta Nano, yet the two guns wander in clear and unobtrusive regards. In contrast to the Nano, the APX Carry has a slide-stop switch and furthermore an alternate grasp outline, slide, striker guide and spring, sights, and extractor. The two models are made in Beretta’s Gallatin, TN production line. Here you will get a complete review of the Beretta APX Carry as you read further.

Serialized and controlled, the hardened steel case outline contains the terminating component. It is removable from the hold outline, making cleaning and fix simpler than guns with shaped parts. You can likewise change to various shaded APX Carry or Nano grasp outlines for $39 MSRP and modify your hold outline—without gambling lasting adjustment to the controlled part.

The slide get-together has a nitride finish. Sights are steel development with a white spot out front and glare-lessening serrations on the back. The back sight has a positioning edge for solitary slide controls in a crisis and is float movable by hand in the wake of relaxing a setscrew. The two sights are effortlessly changed utilizing an Allen wrench and furthermore fit the Nano and Pico.

This gun is solidly made with more steel and thicker plastic than a few serious guns. The grasp outline is successfully finished with raised pyramids on the front and backstraps, and sandpaper-like creases on the sides to shield the gun from contorting in your grasp during withdraw.

Two cleaned, tempered steel magazines are provided. The six-rounder has a level floorplate and an additional pinky-rest floorplate is incorporated, while the eight-round magazine broadens the tallness around .5 inches and has a polymer neckline encompassing its base. The pinky-rest floorplate and the neckline have compelling, raised-pyramid finishing on their driving edges and give a full-hand hold to little and medium-sized hands, separately.

The magazines have observer gaps, however need numeric markings showing the staying round check. Completely stacked, both prompt addition and lock into place regardless of whether the activity is shut, which encourages strategic reloads. The six-rounder can be stacked with one extra round, however will possibly completely embed if the slide is aft. There’s an impulse to trim the magazine spring to permit addition with the activity shut, yet Beretta suggests against this in light of the fact that the abbreviated spring might be deficiently solid for dependable taking care of.

The striker is halfway tensioned when the slide is racked. Squeezing the trigger withdraws the rotating trigger tab, deactivates a striker obstruct inside the slide that keeps the terminating pin away from the groundwork, and completely cocks at that point delivers the striker. Striker squares are a standard element on self-loader guns, yet the APX Carry’s structure goes farther than most in two regards.

In the first place, as the trigger is squeezed, some portion of the striker square projects from the head of the slide as it is deactivated. This permits the administrator to check that it isn’t stuck in the deactivated position, which would be perilous. Second, on the grounds that the striker square juts marginally when the striker is de-cocked, it fills in as a positioning marker. The striker must be de-cocked before evacuating the slide to field strip the gun by squeezing the striker-deactivation button on the correct side of the grasp outline utilizing a little punch or ballpoint pen tip or squeezing the trigger.

The APX Carry was tried for precision utilizing two guarded and one practice load shot from rested blockades at 15 yards. In spite of the fact that this gun will never observe useful use from a bench rest, these tests affirm if the gun fires to purpose of-point and can help decide its ammunition inclinations as for precision. The littlest normal five-shot gathering of 1.69 inches was gotten from Black Hills’ 124-grain +P JHP, with the littlest single gathering of 1.2 inches originating from SIG Sauer’s P365 115-grain JHP. All heaps printed 2-3 creeps underneath purpose of-point when utilizing an inside hold sight picture, which can be adjusted by changing the front sight.

Extra capacity testing was led utilizing two extra loads. Working was incredible more than 400 rounds with the exception of a solitary inability to load one bullet of LTech ammo. Transferring the six-round magazine to seven didn’t make any stoppages, even with Blaser 147-grain loads with a level nose normal for 147-grain shots. The trigger draw estimated 6.3 pounds utilizing a Lyman electronic scale. The stroke is long, however noticeably smooth, moving roughly 5/8 inch before breaking at a point past 90 degrees to the dragline. There is no overtravel, and the trigger must be completely delivered to reset the component. The slide-stop switch and magazine discharge are open while not meddling with hold.

Your hunting dog is a focused and dedicated partner, helping you find, retrieve, or flush your quarry. Such a loyal and helpful companion deserves a great name, and why not make it hunting-themed?

Whether you have a hound, terrier, retriever, or gun dog, you should be able to find a great name on our list. We’ve gathered over 100 amazing hunting names, covering males, females, unique names, duck hunting names, and names that are just right for a Labrador Retriever. Scroll down to find your new favorite hunting dog name!

Female Hunting Dog Names

• Beretta
• Maverick
• Scout
• Emily
• Sundance
• Kimber
• Rebel
• Samantha
• Willow
• Arya
• Grenade
• Ivy
• Rain
• Kodiak
• Oakley
• Dakota
• Cammie
• Moxy
• Copper
• Spike
• Aspen

Male Hunting Dog Names

• Remington
• Tiger
• Sauer
• Killer
• Bill
• Cricket
• Boomer
• Samson
• Buck
• Captain
• Dash
• Major
• Giant
• Bear
• Jack
• Jameson
• Duke
• Finn
• Browning
• Brutus
• Hunter
• Bolt
• Benelli

Unique Hunting Dog Names

• Outlaw
• Artemis
• Camo
• Arrow
• Justice
• Cheetah
• Liberty
• Sarge
• Dandelion
• Legolas
• Diesel
• Hercules
• Zeus
• Cedar
• Oak
• Brutus
• Blind
• Shadow
• General
• Vigilante
• Thor
• Daisy
• Athena
• Atlas
• Bomb
• Legend
• Huckleberry
• Beast
• Tank

Duck Hunting Dog Names

• Drake
• Goose
• Birdie
• Highball
• Hawk
• Blitz
• Flock
• Deke
• Decoy
• Sparrow
• Lady Bird
• Rifle
• Duckie
• Radar
• Mallard
• Quack
• Powder

Hunting Dog Names for Labrador Retrievers

• Buddy
• Trapper
• Bow
• Lynx
• Buck
• Winchester
• Fetch
• Shooter
• Lion
• Robin
• Neptune
• Boomer
• Fox
• Fletch
• Gunner
• Dixie
• Chase
• Retty
• Ranger

Bonus: Famous Hunting Dog Breeds

There are quite a few hunting dog breeds, including hounds, terriers, and retrievers. Here’s a look at four exceptional hunting dog breeds:

American Foxhound

Foxhounds look a little like Beagles, but as their name suggests, they were specifically bred to hunt foxes. These lean, athletic dogs specialize in hunting and tracking. They’re also low-maintenance, loving family dogs.

Beagle

These popular, loyal hounds make great hunting dogs. They were bred to hunt animals like birds, foxes, rabbits, and even small deer. Curious and adorable dogs, Beagles are intelligent and easy to train.

Bloodhound

As you’ve probably seen in countless detective movies, Bloodhounds have an amazing sense of smell. They’re good at tracking prey using scent and have been used by search and rescue teams to find missing persons.

Golden Retriever

In recent times, Golden Retrievers have become popular family dogs, but they were originally used as bird hunting companions. As their name should tell you, Golden Retrievers are good at retrieving birds after you’ve shot them. They’re also loyal, smart, and athletic dogs with friendly dispositions and beautiful golden coats.

Finding the Right Name for Your Hunting Dog

Have you found a great name for your hunting dog? We hope that our extensive list has shown you the wide range of the hunting dog names available, whether you prefer something unique like Artemis or duck-themed like Mallard. Your hunting partner will thank you for taking the time to find just the right name!

Not quite there? Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of other creative options:

• 100+ Perfect Names for Brown Dogs
• What should you name your Golden Retriever?
• The Best Italian Dog Names

Featured Image Credit: Pxfuel