Petersen's Hunting April/May 2021

I’M NOT SURE what I was thinking when I decided to come up with a list of the Top 50 firearms to hit the market in the last 50 years. But let me tell you right off, I must have been drinking during that particular editorial meeting. Because assembling said list has since caused many sleepless nights and much argument around the virtual office. And our most important audience, you, the readers of Petersen’s Hunting haven’t even read it yet. I can only imagine your letters are going to keep me up at night for the next month or more—and likely send me right back to the liquor cabinet. But that’s okay. Because, honestly, running a list of the Top 50 firearms is meant to start a civil, if slightly…

We at Petersen’s Hunting would rather avoid talking politics when we can, but there are times when events in Washington or our state capitals make that impossible. We appear to be at the precipice of one of those periods. The election has been decided, and now we must live with the results. As former President Obama stated, “elections have consequences.” For hunters, particularly gun-owning hunters, those consequences could be significant. Hyperbole aside, a Joe Biden presidency could have a sweeping impact on the availability and legality of firearms in the United States. No matter your opinion of President Biden, it is an indisputable fact that he has a career-long record of sponsoring and supporting gun-control legislation. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1994, Biden shepherded the passage of the…

Bullet Board BULLET BASICS A refinement of the original Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullet, the EdgeTLR features a solid, boat tailed rear half and a lead front core bonded inside the nose. The heat- and erosion-resistant composite tip enhances aerodynamics and ensures reliable expansion on impact. A high-BC bullet that will expand reliably across a broad spectrum of impact velocities, the EDGE TLR is suitable for use from very close to very far. The controlled-expansion construction ensures it opens to a big, beautiful mushroom yet always maintains enough weight to punch through heavy bone and drive deep. TESTING GROUND The bullet pictured was used on a big hartebeest bull in Namibia. Hartebeest are about the size of a small cow elk and have a reputation for toughness. Shot presentation was straight on. FIELD PERFORMANCE Fired from…

Cartridge Corner HISTORY The 6.5x55 “Swede” is a contender for “Most Interesting Cartridge in The World.” Adopted by the militaries of the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway in 1894, it soon became a staple hunting cartridge across Europe. Way ahead of its time ballistically, it excelled at long range. Recoil is mild, and the tapered cartridge feeds like butter. More than a decade older than America’s venerable .30-06, the 6.5x55 was one of the first cartridges designed specifically for use with smokeless powder. Today, it’s still a strong contender among modern 6.5mms. APPLICATION American ammo and handload data are mild, out of respect for vintage rifles chambered in 6.5x55. European ammo and data are zestier and offer much better performance. Because the 6.5x55 has about 11 percent more propellant capacity than the ubiquitous…

Early last year, Kelly Stang of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) was nursing an audacious plan: to deliver the state’s mandatory hunter education course entirely online, without the traditional classroom sessions. Stang was understandably nervous. The New York Hunter Education course has been taught in person by volunteer instructors for more than 70 years, and completing the course is legally required before the purchase a first hunting license. The nation’s first mandated hunter education program began in New York in 1949 as a way to reduce hunting accidents and create more informed and deliberate hunters. Hunter education is now required by all 50 states as a prerequisite to buy a first-time hunting license. But Stang’s plan to transform hunter education from a butts-in-seats experience to a virtual one was…

Going to the range is a necessity, but it can be a daunting task to keep your gear organized. The 5.11 Tactical Range Master Backpack Set makes it easy to keep your gear clean and organized for a day of shooting. With its 33-liter capacity, ammunition, ear and eye protection, along with firearms will fit securely and neatly. The pack also comes with a pistol case along with small and medium Range Master Pouches for additional storage. $170; 511tactical.com With Hornady’s RAPiD Safe Compact Ready Vault you can keep your go-to defense weapon ready, yet still locked up. The patented RFID technology allows you to access your gun quickly while keeping others out. The SQUARE-LOK organizing system allows for personal customization of how you organize your safe. Your valuables are protected…