GUN

David E. Petzal & Phil BourjailyTHE GUN NUTS

RIFLES AND MORESHOTGUNS

THE TOTAL

MANUAL335 ESSENTIAL SHOOTING SKILLS

THE ULTIMATE GUN GUIDE335 ESSENTIAL SHOOTING TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

DAVID E. PETZAL

Field & Stream’s Field Editor, specializing in rifles, has been

with the magazine since 1972. He shoots competitively, and

has hunted big game all over the world. Petzal co-authors

the Gun Nuts Blog and co-hosts the Gun Nuts show on the

Outdoor Channel.

PHIL BOURJAILY

Field & Stream’s Shotguns columnist, co-host of the Gun

Nuts show on the Outdoor Channel, and co-author of the

Gun Nuts blog on Field & Stream’s website, Bourjaily has

written about wingshooting for the magazine since 1985.

For well over a century,

Field & Stream has been

synonymous with the sports

of hunting and fishing, and has been a leader in the

conservation movement as well. The Gun Nuts

blog is one of the most popular on its website, and

has gained a unique reputation for truthfulness,

insight, and unvarnished opinions.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT GUN The complete guide

to figuring out what you really need, and then

picking the right shotgun, rifle, handgun, and

ammo for whatever sport you want.

SHOOT BETTER Increase your rifle accuracy,

boost your shotgun scores, and come home

with game instead of excuses.

HUNT SMARTER Field-tested tips on how

to make tough shots on big game, get more

ducks, fool a gobbler, and much, much more.

STAY SAFE The plain facts about the best hard-

ware for home defense, and how to use it safely

to protect your family, as well as solid advice

on shooting safety in the field.

2

THE TOTA

L GU

N M

ANUA

LISBN 13: 978-1-61628-219-6ISBN 10: 1-61628-219-3

US $25.00 CAN $28.99ISBN 1-61628-219-3

9 781616 282196

FPO

9th Century | Gunpowder Invented in China

10th Century | Fire Lance A bamboo tube that used gunpowder to fire a projectile is first used in China.

1475 | The Matchlock The first gun to use a trigger, which brought a burning match into contact with the powder.

1498 The principle of rifling is invented in Germany, although it will not be used effectively until the next century.

1630 | The Flintlock With a more reliable ignition system and faster lock time, this gun made wingshooting feasible.

1836 | The Pinfire French gunsmith Casimir Lefaucheux invents the pinfire, an early modern-cased cartridge.

1857 | Smith & Wesson Revolver #1 Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson make the first Smith & Wesson revolver, chambered for the first .22 rimfire cartridge, the .22 short.

1874 | Winchester Rifle Model 1873 Rightly famous as "the gun that won the West."

1875 | Boxlock Action Two British gunsmiths, Anson and Deeley, design a hammerless action for shotguns that is still in use in guns today.

Late 1600s | Rifles, especially the German Jaeger flintlock rifle, become popular for hunting in Europe, especially for big game.

1776 Kentucky frontiersmen coin the term “shotgun,” as reported by James Fenimore Cooper.

1836 | The Colt Revolver Samuel Colt invents and patents the Paterson Colt revolver, powered by a percussion cap, and revolutionizes handguns.

1740s | The Pennsylvania RifleCreated by German gunsmiths in the New World, this long rifle became an iconic hunting and military weapon in the colonies.

1360 First firing of guns from shoulder in Europe.

1509 | The Wheel LockA spring-driven, wind-up action created a spark, which was much more efficient than the matchlock, which required a constantly-burning match.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF

1880s Smokeless powder revolutionizes rifle ammunition, doubling the velocity of black-powder ammo. Smaller-diameter bullets are now practical, and ranges are dramatically increased.

1936 | Winchester Model 70This bolt-action sporting rifle is widely regarded as one of the best hunting guns ever made.

1947 | AK 47 The Kalashnikov AK-47 is issued to the Soviet Army, and becomes the most popular and effective military rifle of all time.

1950 | Remington 870This slide-action shotgun became the most popular gun ever made, selling more than 10,000,000 units over the years.

1955 | AR 10Invented by military arms designer Eugene Stoner, this gun was a precursor to the AR 15/M16, America’s military rifle.

1963 | Remington Model 1100The first reliable gas semiauto shotgun’s soft recoil quickly makes it a favorite of hunters and target shooters alike.

1985 | Inline MuzzleloaderMissouri gunsmith Tony Knight’s reliable, easy-to-maintain rifle attracts countless new blackpowder hunters.

1990s Sabot slugs and rifled shotgun barrels begin a revolution in shotgun slug accuracy that continues today.

1882 | Pump-action ShotgunChristopher Spencer, inventor of the Civil War–era Spencer repeating rifle, makes the first pump-action shotgun.

1887 | Mondragon Rifle Mexican general Manuel Mondragon patents the first fully automatic rifle.

1898 / Mauser 1898 Peter Paul Mauser perfects his bolt-action Model 98; a military weapon for 50 years, it is still unsurpassed for sporting use.

1900 | Auto 5Gun designerJohn Browning patents the first successful semiautomatic shotgun.

1934 | The .357 MagnumDeveloped as the first magnum handgun cartridge, the .357 was unsurpassed in power until the advent of the .44 magnum in 1955.

1956 | .44 MagnumSmith & Wesson introduces the Model 29 revolver, chambered for the revolutionary .44 Magnum cartridge.

FIREARMS

1Ifyou’vebeenshootingforanytimeatallandhadanykindofpropereducation(bywhichwemeananythingfromafirearmscertificationclasstoabigbrotherwhoslappedyouupsidetheheadforactingstupid),youshouldknowtheserules.We’reremindingyouherebecauseitneverhurtstoberemindedandbecausereadingittogetherisagreatstartingpointforadiscussionaboutsafetywithakidoranynewshooter,.

ASSUME EVERY GUN IS LOADED Everytimeyouseeagun,pickupagun,orpointagun,alwaysassumethatit’sloaded,andtreatitaccordingly.

CARRY SAFELY Makesureyoursafetyisalwaysonandthatthebarrelispointingdownwhenyouarewalkingwithortransportingyourgun.Theoneexceptioniswhenyou’rehuntingwithadog;seeitem220.

BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET Beabsolutelysurethatyouareshootingatananimalandnotahumanandthatnopeopleareanywhereneartheanimalyouareshootingat.Nevershootatasoundormovement.

DRESS RIGHT Wearatleasttherequiredamountoforangesothatyoudon’tbecomeanotherhunter’starget.

CONFIRM YOUR KILL Makesureallanimalsaredeadbeforeyouputtheminorstrapthemontoyourvehicle.

BE KID SMART Donotbringsmallchildrenwithyouhunting.Waituntilyourkidsareoldenoughtounderstandandfollowalloftheserulesbeforeyoubringthemhunting.

CLIMB CAREFULLY Donotclimbupordownatreeoroverafencewithaloadedgun.

KEEP YOUR FINGER CLEAR Makesureyourfingerstaysoffthetriggeruntilyou’rereadytoshoot.

SHOOT SOBER It’sjustplaincommonsense.Savethosebeersuntiltheendoftheday.

REMEMBER RANGE Lookwellbeyondyourtargetbeforeyoushoot.High-poweredammunitioncantraveluptothreemilesandstillbedeadly.

BUDDY UP Huntwithabuddy.Ifyoucan’t,thenatleastmakesurethatsomeoneknowswhereyouwillbeandatimetoexpectyouback.

STRAP IN Ifusingatreestandtohunt,don’tforgettowearasafetybelt.Alotofhuntinginjuriesinvolvefallingfromatreestand.Andyoudon’twanttohavetotelltheguysatworkthat’showyoubrokeyourarm.

CHECK IT OUT Beforeyoubeginthehuntingseasonandbeforeyouuseanyneworborrowedequipment,makesuretogoovereverythingandmakesurethatitisworkingproperly.Makesureyouknowhoweverythingoperatesbeforeyouattempttouseitwhilehunting.

STORE SAFE Storeandtransportammunitionseparatefromyourguns.Keepeverythingunderlockandkeywhenit’snotinuse.

FOLLOW THE BASIC SAFETY RULES

2

3

4

You’rereadytogo,withthelatestandgreatestgear,you’recarryingthelatestandgreatestrifleorshotgun,andyou’reofftohitthewoodstogivethegamewhatfor.Beforeyoutakeonestepontothehunt,however,stopandmakesureyouaren’tmakingafoolofyourself.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT CAMOWehavecamoupthekazoo,butit’sallSouthern—southernswamps,southernoaks,southernkudzu,andsouthernhighwaylitter.Youwon’tfindDismalSwampinWyoming.Wearit,andtheanimalswilltakeofflaughing.

KNOCK OFF THE SHINE Whenthewholeworldisbrainwashedbycamo,whydoshinyriflesstillsell?Youmightlikeshiny,butanimalswillseeitandthink,“WhydiewhenIcanrun?”

FORGET “BREATHABLE”Thosecoolclothesarefineuntilyoustarttohustle.Thenyou’llberoastedinyourownjuices.Down,syntheticinsulation,andoiledcottonaretheclothingequivalentofaDutchoven.

GET A WHIFFTherearetonsofadsforpolyunderwear“treatedtoresistodor-causingbacteria.”Don’tbelieveawordofit.Anddon’twasteyourmoney.

Thesoundofahumancrashingthroughthebrushsilencesthewoodsandspooksgame.Toseemore,youmustpayattentiontoyourpace,yourwalkingrhythm,andtheplacementofyourfeet.

SLOW DOWNGiveyourselftimetopickyourroute,stepquietly,andnoticewhat’sgoingonaroundyou.Slowingyourpaceallowsyoutohearmore;yourownfootfallscanblockoutthesoundofasquirrelcuttingnutsoragobblerdrumming.Lookingbackfromtimetotimealsohelpsyoufindyourwayhomeattheendoftheday.

VARY YOUR GAITAsteadydrumbeatofstepssignalshumantoanyanimalinthewoods.Takeafewstepsandpausetolookandlisten.Whenyoudostopforamoment,makesureyou’renearawidetreetrunk,abrushpile,orsomeothercoverthatprovidesconcealment.

LOOK BEFORE STEPPINGAllanimals,fromchipmunkstowhitetails,rustleleaveswhentheywalkinthefallwoods.Humanssnapbranches.Keepmostofyourweightonyourbackfootasyoustepforwardandthensetyourfootdowncarefully,heelfirst.

DON'T BE THAT GUY

WALK LIKE AN ANIMAL

GET ANOTHER WHIFFDeerscentsmaybethecat’smeowforbowhunterswhomustworkclosein,butthey’rejustsillyfortherestofus.

TRUMP TECHNOLOGY WITH SKILLAhunterusedtobeapersonwhoacquiredabroadvarietyofskillsbyspendingtonsoftimeinthewoodsandworkingveryhardathiscraft.Now,theassumptionisthatyoucanbypassmuchoftheprocessifyouspendenoughmoney.There’snosubstituteforknow-how,sogetoutthereandlearn.

RESPECT THE GAMEKillingisapartofhunting,buthuntingisnotsimplykilling.Thereisonlyonewaytolookatananimalyouhavejustkilled,andthatisinsorrow.Peoplewhohatehuntingwillneverbelieveorunderstandthat,butwhocares?—D.P.

TRACK AROUND OBSTACLESFollowthepathofleastresistancethroughthewoods.Mosthuntersprefertoseewherethey’reputtingtheirfeet,sotheystepontoandoverblowdowns,especiallyinsnakecountry.Intruth,thebesttackistomakeadetouraroundobstacleswheneverpossibletosaveenergyandtokeepalowerprofile.Unlessyou’retryingtoflushrabbitsorruffedgrouse,avoidthicketsthatmaycatchyourclothing,makingunnaturalsounds.Ifyou’rewalkingwithsomeone,gosinglefile.Maintainanintervalofseveralstepsbetweenthetwoofyousothepersonbehinddoesn’tgetswattedinthefacewithabranch.—P.B.

We’vealllistenedtoourpoundingheartsduringexercisesincewewerekids.We’resousedtothatsound,infact,thatitcanbeasurprisetowearaheart-ratemonitoronahunt.Itdoesn’ttakemuchefforttoelevateyourheartrateintothered,somakesureyouexerciseinthoseoffmonthsforbetterfitnessonyourhuntandahealthierlifeallaround.

START WITH A STRESS TEST TreadmillsandEKGmonitorscanrevealarrhythmiasandarterialblockagesthatputyouatriskforheartattack.Ifyouarediagnosedwithheartdisease,yourdoctorcanhelpyoutreatitproperlyandkeepyouabletohuntforyearstocome.Asaprecaution,

GET FIT FOR HUNTING SEASON

carryanuncoatedaspirininyourpocketwhenyou’reinthefield.There’snosuchthingasbeingoverprepared.

GET WALKINGOnceyou’vegotthegreenlightfromyourdoctor,getinshapewithasensibleaerobicexerciseroutine.Thefitteryouare,theharderyoucanworkyourheart.Exercisingaslittleas20minutesthreedaysaweekat65to85percentofyourmaximumheartratecanmakeaprofoundimprovementinyouroverallfitness.Itmightnotseemlikemuchrightnow,butdefinitelyyou’llnoticetheimprovementwhenyou’repackingout60poundsofelkmeat.—D.P.