Sporting Notes

Alaska, 2013, and a late-season moose hunt. Fire is the most comforting — and sometimes life-saving — of mankind’s discoveries.

Fire

Among literary critics, there are usually two candidates for the title of greatest short story…
Books, books, and…

To Read or Not to Read

To be honest, I have a very low opinion of English teachers. There are exceptions, but…
One of Wieland’s all-time favorite loads — light or otherwise — is B&P’s Competition One, which delivers great performance on practically everything, with recoil like a maiden’s caress. Another favorite, but very (!) hard to obtain, is Federal Gold Medal Extra-Lite Paper. Obviously, too many other people like it, too. The gun is an H.J. Hussey pigeon gun, circa 1911.

Just for Kicks

Every so often, one runs into a new or unexpected problem. And, sometimes, it’s a result…
"HMS Ulysses," a novel by Alistair MacLean, was published in 1955. It gives a vivid and detailed — if horrifying — picture of the Murmansk Convoys.

Abandon Ship!

I found myself immersed in the history of the Murmansk Convoys. These were the Anglo-American shipments…
The classic S&W Model 60, a trusty old carry gun that still does the job. How many of these lurk in bedside drawers?
The classic S&W Model 60, a trusty old carry gun that still does the job. How many of these lurk in bedside drawers?

Lessons From History

It was the summer of 1940, the Germans were threatening to invade, and things looked…
The two Robert Conquest classics are must-reads for anyone wishing to understand the relationship between Ukraine and Russia. As for Mein Kampf, everyone should read it. You can be sure Vladimir Putin has.

Adolf, Josef, and Vladimir

When I was 15 years old, my cousin married a girl of Ukrainian descent, and…
rifle
Mannlicher-Schönauer Model 1956, in .257 Roberts, outfitted for accuracy with set triggers and a Schmidt & Bender scope.

SET … MATCH

Anyone who has done any precision shooting at all, from a 1,000-yard rifle match to…
shooting
Rarer than hen’s teeth, boxes of factory .256 Winchester Magnum ammunition are collectors’ items. Neat little cartridge, though, huh?

Yet Another Boyhood Dream

Every time I write about finally acquiring something I first desired a half-century ago, I…
sporting dogs
Mark and Dinny, with the dogs: Fiagia, the red-and-white, Harry Flashman (rear) and the puppy, Arthur. All being de-burred.

Pheasant Pharewell

One of our number, arriving in Platte, South Dakota, the day before we were to…
shooting
The author in his element. The rifle is a Snider-Enfield.

Learning the Ropes

When I was but a boy, when dragons roamed the Earth amid smoky tendrils from…
A good day in North Dakota in 2012. At least, Leon looks content, and the Charles Lancaster did its job well. North and South Dakota are proud of their pheasant populations — but the future looks grim.

History Explains Everything

It appears this will be yet another mediocre pheasant year in South Dakota, which means…
This J. Braddell & Son combination gun from the 1870s is a marvel of good taste and a testament to the skill of the anonymous Birmingham craftsmen who created it.

Ruminations of a Scroll Guy

Would that I had a dollar for every time someone has picked up a gun…