House Passes Manage Our Wolves Act with Bipartisan Support

PRESS RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 16, 2018 -
Today, the House passed H.R. 6784, the Manage Our Wolves Act. Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) issued the following statement:

“Scientific evidence conducted by Fish and Wildlife under multiple administrations from both sides of the aisle shows the wolf has recovered and thrived. It’s time to delist. Communities and species will continue to lose when special interest litigants and activist judges dictate Endangered Species Act policy. That’s the status quo, and today the House voted to move ESA policy in a better direction.”

The bill had bipartisan support from representatives, including:

“The recovery of the gray wolf is a success story for the Endangered Species Act, and the best available science must determine whether species remain listed. States are best-equipped to effectively manage gray wolves and respond to the needs of the ecosystem and local communities. I am pleased that this bipartisan legislation to return management of the gray wolf species to the states, as requested by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife and as proposed by the Obama administration, has been approved by the House. I urge prompt consideration in the Senate.” – U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.)

“If you live in Wisconsin, especially northern Wisconsin, it might be necessary for us to actually manage this population because it's good for the environment. It’s good for the wolves. It's good for the cattle. It's actually really good for our deer population. And so I just think this just makes common sense. Frankly, I believe that our states are far more in tuned in understanding the ecosystem of their state than Bureaucrats in Washington.” – U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.)

“I have to say in my 28 years in this body I have never seen so much nonsense, misinformation, and propaganda put out on a bill as being put out on this one. We followed the Endangered Species Act. We did what was said, the scientists said we recovered and they delisted the wolves. These were scientists that did it, it wasn’t any politician. You had a group out there, these extreme environmentalists and others who have captured our party, went to a judge in Washington D.C. that has no idea what’s going on at all and convinced that judge that the wolves had not recovered because they had not been reestablished all the way to Des Moines, Iowa.” – U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.)

The House also passed 10 additional Committee bills this week:

H.R. 2615 (U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss.), H.R. 4033 (U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo.), H.R. 5636 (U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark.), H.R. 5787 (U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla.), H.R. 6146 (U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.), H.R. 6666 (U.S. Rep. Daniel Donovan, R-N.Y.), S. 440 (U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D.), S. 2074 (U.S. Sen John Hoeven, R-N.D.), H.R. 5706 (U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii) and H.R. 6064 (U.S. Rep. Thomas Suozzi, D-N.Y.).

Contact: Committee Press Office 202-226-9019 

House Passes Manage Our Wolves Act with Bipartisan Support

Glock 29 SF (Short Frame) Gen 3: Glock Trail Gun Review

This short article and review is about evaluating the Glock 10mm auto sub-compact (Mini-Glock) for trail use. The odds of being attacked by an armed assailant are considered small by many people. I still carry a weapon(s) daily and have done so most of my adult life. We all know that the odds of having a problem with a bear, mountain lion, or boar in the backcountry are also slim. Just the same, I never head into the habitat of wildlife unprepared to survive an encounter. Irritant sprays, edged weapons, and firearms are all tools I consider and carry whether in the city or backcountry.   

Trail guns can mean different things depending on a variety of considerations. To name just a few, they might include, animal species that might be encountered, where this might occur (state parks, national parks, national forests, private property), type of weapon you can reasonably carry (open or concealed), how much weight or weapon bulk are you willing to accept, and are you willing to compromise at all on known effective calibers for weight savings along with portability/concealability.

As an example, when I am in Alaska and hunting, I generally have no problem carrying a .44 Remington Magnum or larger revolver (.454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .500 S&W Magnum). If I am hunting with my .375 H&H or a larger caliber I might lean toward the .44 Magnum handgun. When I am training in the mountains of California, I feel I don’t always want the extra weight of a revolver and spare speed loaders or the associated concealability issues when in certain places. This seems to be a great niche for me to consider a firearm chambered in 10mm to meet those needs.

When considering a 10mm, many would likely pick a longer barrel whenever possible such as a Glock Model 20 instead of the Glock 29. When you consider the minimal difference in fps, and relative difference in foot pounds of energy, many still like the idea of the subcompact 10mm (Glock 29) for weight savings and when concealing the weapon.

Setting aside the desire to wring-out every last drop of effectiveness in a cartridge with regard to barrel length, there are other factors as we previously noted. I have seen plenty of dangerous game hit less than perfectly using highly capable calibers above the .375 H&H level with little effect. This reinforces that shot placement is paramount. As long as the ballistic performance will provide the desired level of penetration, shot placement is what matters most. 

Over the years we have had the privilege to work with and provide input as a consultant-evaluator for manufacturers of firearms and manufacturers of a variety of shooting related products. We were interested in taking a look at the Glock 29 SF Gen 3 to see how or if it might fulfill a role in our trail gun needs along with reliability while feeding it a diet of Underwood Ammunition.

Glock 29 SF Gen 3 with Glock 20 Magazine & X-Grip. Standard Magazines with Pearce Grip Extensions

Our journey started out with a maiden voyage getting used to each other at the range. We shot the Underwood Ammo 200 grain Coated Hard Cast Flat Nose (trail use ammo), Underwood Ammo 200 grain Full Metal Jacket (range ammo), Sig Sauer Elite Performance V-Crown 180 grain JHP (personal defense-heading home ammo), and the Sig Sauer Elite Performance 180 grain Full Metal Jacket (range ammo).

Range Day 1

From a trail use functionality standpoint, we are primarily interested in evaluating the Underwood 200 grain Hi-Tek Coated Hard Cast Flat Nose ammunition in this handgun. We also wanted to shoot some of the Underwood Ammo 200 grain hard cast and full metal jacket along with the Sig Sauer JHP and full metal jacket as matching carry and range ammo combinations.

Heavy Tungsten Guide Rod-Image Courtesy Lenny Magill's Glock Store (GS)

Pearce Grip Extension-Factory 10 Round Magazine

X-Grip on Glock 20 Magazine (available in 10 round reduced & 15 round standard capacity)

Range session one was completed with target ranges one would expect to use a trail gun for defense. All target speed drills were shot at 7, 5, and 3 yards. Round count consisted of 140 rounds total with the factory barrel, heavy tungsten guide rod with 21 lb. spring, and the ammunition combinations previously noted above (Underwood Ammo 200 grain Coated Hard Cast Flat Nose, Underwood Ammo 200 grain Full Metal Jacket, Sig Sauer Elite Performance V-Crown 180 grain JHP, and the Sig Sauer Elite Performance 180 grain Full Metal Jacket).

We made a few modifications to our stock handgun for our first range session that included a Beavertail grip adapter, Glock 20 ten round magazine with the X-Grip, and factory ten round Glock 29 magazines with the Pearce Grip Extension added. No problems were encountered with these modifications.

The Beavertail grip adapter was very comfortable and allowed getting high in the grip without concern of slide biting. The X-grip and Pearce Grip Extension both provided excellent control of the handgun and provided shooting comfort. If your application calls for standard capacity magazines (15 rounds) or if you prefer a longer ten round magazine the X-Grip is an excellent option. If you prefer to use the shorter factory Glock 29 ten round magazines the Pearce Grip is just the ticket.

A Simple Dot Drill for Combat Sight Alignment and Precision Sight Picture

Speed Drills from 7, 5, & 3 Yards. Flyer Courtesy of Me

There were no issues noted with regard to slide timing utilizing the heavier replacement recoil spring. We did not experience any failure to feed (FTF) or failure to eject (FTE) problems. The ammo shot great and the only flyer was induced from improper sight alignment and trigger control by me during a speed drill. No fault of the ammunition.

The Trail Guns Preferred by Many When Size is Not an Issue

Reliable and Simple Bolt Guns-Preferred by Many in the Appropriate Application

There are a variety of weapons that one can carry for trail use in different areas and circumstances. Each have their application and unique benefit. We are primarily interested in seeing if the Glock 29 SF Gen 3 has a role to play for any of our applications along with the ability to reliably feed the hard cast Underwood Ammo.

Tried and True Wheel Guns-Often Favored by Some in Brown Bear and Grizzly Country

Our second range session consisted of adding the standard length KKM Precision barrel and shooting to assure functionality. From the KKM Precision website, KKM barrels are made using certified 416R gun-barrel quality stainless steel bar stock. Barrels are heat treated and vacuum tempered to 42 RC. The barrels are CNC machined to obtain superior dimensional tolerances over stock. Their proprietary button rifling process allows KKM barrels to offer greater accuracy over stock barrels.

Glock uses polygonal type rifling in their barrels. Glock warns/recommends not shooting lead bullets since it could cause a lead buildup with their style of rifling. This is of course creates a safety concern. I do not intend to shoot pure lead bullets but instead hard cast bullets such as Underwood. From what I have read through my research, hard cast bullets that are properly sized and utilize good lube do not generally cause significant fouling. Just the same, I prefer to use an aftermarket barrel that eliminates that concern entirely. Additionally, a match grade replacement barrel can help to increase accuracy as well. The KKM Precision Glock barrels have fully supported SAAMI specification match chambers. This allows shooting factory or reloaded ammunition as well as lead or jacketed bullets. 

The KKM barrel for our Glock is a drop-in fit. When we originally ordered our barrel from KKM, we explained our intended purpose and application. We asked to have the feed ramp modified for over sized loads. KKM was happy to accommodate the request at no additional charge. KKM advised us that this modification would sacrifice approximately 1-1.5% of chamber support but would still be considered as a fully supported chamber.

KKM Precision barrel & heavy tungsten guide rod with 21 lb. spring installed

KKM Precision barrel on the left. Factory Glock barrel on the right

KKM Precision barrel on the left. Factory Glock barrel on the right.

View of the KKM Precision barrel with modified feed ramp in the handgun.

For our second range visit we planned to shoot 100 rounds of ammunition at both a 7 yard quick-draw static target and also a target charging from 12 yards to 3 yards. We decided to use the Alaska State Parks bear target.

Click on images to enlarge. Shaded hit zone ring on targets for reference.

Our charging targets were limited to the speed of retrieval of the indoor target range system so they were not slow but they were not extremely fast either. They did however remind us of the difficulty associated with accurately hitting a moving target even when on a flat range. The need for moving/charging target practice during a range session should not be overlooked on a gun being considered for defensive trail use. 

Static 7 yard quick-draw target.

Charging target from 12 yards to 3 yards.

There were no issues noted on range session two with regard to slide timing utilizing the heavier replacement recoil spring in conjunction with the KKM Precision barrel. We did not experience any failure to feed (FTF) or failure to eject (FTE) problems. 

After my two initial range sessions I decided that an additional modification to our weapon would be beneficial. The factory Glock sights do not fulfill my needs completely. I decided to utilize Trijicon HD Night Sights with the orange front outline (Model GL104O). These sights are also available in a yellow outline front sight model (GL104Y). I have used the Orange outline version on several of my carry guns and have found them to work great for my eyes. Both versions also provide the added benefit of the three dot green tritium inserts for low light or night time shooting. An additional benefit of these metal sights is the front surface of the rear sight is steeply hooked. This allows the handgun slide to be operated in emergency one-handed operation. This is done by hooking the sight on clothing, a belt, the heel of your boot, or against other surfaces to operate the slide. 

Trijicon HD Night Sight Sets-Image Courtesy of Trijicon

I decided to personalize the handgun just a little by having the slide finished in oven cured Cerakote while the sights were being swapped. During our trail use this handgun will be exposed to a lot of sweat. Cerakote serves as a more effective barrier against oxidation and corrosion than bluing. 

Cerakote Slide Finish and Trijicon HD Night Sights Completed

It was time to head back to the range for session three to confirm the changes I had completed would not alter functionality negatively. During session three I fired 65 rounds of  200 grain Hi-Tek Coated Hard Cast Flat Nose ammunition from Underwood Ammunition. This will be the primary ammunition utilized on the trail.  

There were no problems during session three following our sight swap and Cerakote finish application. No negative issues were noted with regard to slide timing and I did not experience any failure to feed (FTF) or failure to eject (FTE) problems. I am very pleased with the sight change and the Cerakote adds additional finish protection and my personality to the handgun. 

Special thanks to Mark Ford, Owner and operator of Valley Cerakote. Mark rushed our slide through and got us squared away quickly! Mark can be reached at Nor Cal Gun Vault in Rocklin, CA. Alternatively, you can give him a call at (209) 993-1519. Be sure to tell Mark that Shawn sent you.

In closing, the Glock 29 SF Gen 3 will be a great addition to my trail gun selection. Since beginning this review I was able to put over 300 miles on the trail during training hikes while carrying this handgun. I also had the opportunity to complete a 3-day 40 mile hike through Hoover Wilderness and into Yosemite National Park backcountry with this handgun. It carried well concealed and I felt comfortable with the smaller size, capacity (16 rounds), and capability of the 10mm auto sub-compact! Perhaps you may want to give it some consideration for your trail gun needs as well.  

2018 Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships: Final Report

The 8th annual Safari Rifle Challenge is in the books. Here is a recap of this year’s event made by Jay Sheffield. Jay is the Match Director of the Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships:

Well, Safari Rifle Challenge 2018 is in the history books and Tanner Van Pelt of Sandpoint, Idaho is our new champion!

Below is a picture of Tanner with his trophy sponsored by Shawn Joyce at DIIZCHE SAFARI ADVENTURES. Mark Wicka of Montana took second and Lance Brewer of Washington state was 3rd.

We had 70 registered shooters from 14 states and 3 Canadian provinces. Here was our course of fire and a few photos.

Main Range Events
1. Checking Zero ---- Four shooters on the line. Starting position will be EMPTY rifle. On the signal you will load and fire two rounds at the 45 yard paper target then load and fire one round at the 100 yard eight inch steel plate. Open action, show clear, muzzle up during scoring and return to the gun racks.
2. Coming & Going --- Rifle loaded with two rounds, safety on. On the signal, fire at each of the two outside targets as they go away. On your second shot the targets will instantly reverse course and come back towards you. You must load one round and shoot the center target. Open action, show clear, muzzle up when done.

3. Mad Momma --- Rifle loaded with one round, safety on. On the signal, shoot the 50 yard baby elephant with eight inch steel plate kill zone. Reload and take a frontal brain shot at the charging “Momma Ele”. Open action, show clear, muzzle up when done. (Kill zones will be faintly marked for scoring purposes; you must evaluate the angle then shoot at the frontal brain just like in real life).

4. Herd of Buffalo --- Load 1 round, safety on, low ready position. Shoot the 50 yard buffalo in the eight inch steel plate kill zone, move to next spot, load 1 round and shoot 75 yard buffalo in the eight inch plate. Move to next spot, load 1 round and shoot the 100 yard broadside buffalo (11”x 16” kill zone). Open action, show clear, muzzle up when done.

5. Fleeing Buffalo --- Rifle loaded with 2 rounds, safety on. On the command “standby” the buffalo will start going away. On the “shoot” command fire 1 round at 50 yard buffalo target eight inch steel plate kill zone. Then fire 1 round at the fleeing buffalo. Open action, show clear, muzzle up when done.

6. Left or Right --- Rifle loaded with two rounds, safety on, low ready position. On “standby” command the targets will start towards you. When it passes the cone the Range Officer will yell either left or right. You must shoot that side first then fire your second shot at the other side. Open action and show clear.

Shooting Bay Events

1. No Pressure --- Water bottles at 25, 35 and 45 yards. Rifle loaded with 2 rounds. On the command, shoot any two bottles, reload 1 round and shoot the 3rd bottle. 10 points for each EXPLODING bottle. Timer starts on “shoot” command. 1 point deduction for every second that it takes to complete the course. Lowest possible score will be zero, no negative scores. Open action, show clear, muzzle up when done.

2. Crossing Shot--- Starting position will be low ready with 2 rounds in the rifle, safety on. The 40 yard target will travel across from left to right then back to the left again. You will fire 1 round as the target travels in each direction. All shots must be taken while target is between the cones. Show clear, Muzzle up, return to gun rack.

3. Swamp Things --- 2 rounds in rifle with safety on. On command, shoot 1 round at the brain or spine of the 40 yard crocodile head. After the shot, the 40 yard hippo head will rise from the water to see what’s going on. You must quickly take one brain shot on the hippo before he goes back down. (Kill zones will be faintly marked for scoring purposes; you must evaluate the angle then shoot at the brain/spine just like in real life). Shooting sticks will be available if you want to use them.

4. Charging Water Jugs --- Two shooters, two rounds in rifle, safety on. The cart will start towards you on “standby” and you will then be given the shoot command. You must shoot the jug on your side then race to shoot the middle jug. Open action, show clear, muzzle up when done.

Motorized Cape buffalo

Baby elephant before....

Baby elephant after. Champion Targets provided us with all of our AR500 steel plates and that stuff takes a POUNDING!

Retreever and his .450 No 2 NE double taking on Charging Momma

Bolt guns on the ele course-John Harma from Phoenix, AZ

Dave Snellstrom from Colorado

The elephant was 9 feet tall. The steps allowed us to reach the forehead to paste bullet holes.

Charging water jugs

Wayne Jacobson from American Hunting Rifles with a 600 Overkill gun he built for the shoot

Moving targets...

A 600 OK cartridge from that custom red rifle above. 825 gr CEB at 2100 fps. WOW!

Crocodile head

Rising Hippo

A herd of buffalo

Garry James & Gene Gordner in some period costumes

Garry with his hammer double gun

Trying to knock off 3 little bottles!

Two of the gun racks with everything from modern Rugers to classic Holland & Holland bolt guns

A young lady taking on the crossing targets

The source of our power!

Below, putting out some of the raffle prizes from sponsors like DIIZCHE SAFARI ADVENTURES and Champion Targets. Mark Sullivan sent us a bunch of videos and books.

And last but not least, the reason we do this. The Libby Rod and Gun Clubs mission is to promote the shooting sports and most importantly expose youth to the many opportunities available at the range and in the field. The young folks below are members of the Libby area Scholastic Clay Target Program. They enthusiastically volunteer to help with setup, scoring, pasting targets and moving items between the stages. Our club is blessed with some truly world class shotgun shooters who have mentored and coached these young people to multiple state level awards! Our raffle table is used to help fund their team costs from event registration fees to travel and shotgun shells. This year we raised a total of $530 for them. 

It was great to see everyone at the shoot. See you all next year! Next year, the 2019 Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships will again be held in Libby, Montana at the Libby Rod and Gun Club. The event is now held in June to assure cooler weather!

If you have not had the opportunity to attend one of the shoots in beautiful Libby, Montana, then we hope you will make plans to do so in 2019. The shooting event fills-up very quickly after they send notices to the participants on their email group. If you want to sign up, request more information, or get on their notification list send Jay an email (see below) and he will get you squared away.

To be added to the (confidential) email list, just drop Jay a line at safaririflechallenge@yahoo.com

We hope to see you next year!

2018 Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships-Coming Soon!

The 2018 Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships are coming soon. This year represents our 8^th annual shooting event! The event will be held in Libby, Montana at the Libby Shooting Sports Complex. Jay Sheffield is the Match Director and puts on an exciting and enjoyable event. In an attempt to have a little bit more comfortable weather and "beat the heat" the event date has been permanently changed to the second Saturday in June. This year that will fall on Saturday June 9, 2018 from 8am - 4pm.

The shooting event fills-up very quickly after they send notices to the participants on their email group. If you want to sign up, request more information, or get on their notification list send Jay an email (see below) and he will get you squared away. So far Jay has received paid applications from MT,ID,WA,CO,TX,CA,PA,OR, WV and several from Canada. 

Last Year's Individual Plaque

Lat Year's Perpetual Plaque

Here is an update from Jay regarding the soon to be held 2018 event:

Safari Rifle Challenge

World Championships in Libby, Montana

Saturday June 9, 2018 from 8am - 4pm

The Event: This is a family oriented shoot featuring both life size and moving targets. It is designed to simulate events encountered on an African Safari. Targets will be scored and times will be announced, but since all prizes are awarded by random drawing, you will be competing purely for the glory of sport! Participants will be expected to cheerfully help with reset of targets, powering the moving targets and any other menial labor that may be necessary for the greater good. ALL shooters must be at least 18 years old and pre-registered. There is a $20 participation fee which will also entitle you to a commemorative match hat.

The Guns: This is a big bore, dangerous game rifle shoot. Essentially .375/9.3 caliber or larger cartridges in single shot, bolt action or double rifles with minimum muzzle energy of 4000 ft. /lb. If you have an antique double rifle in a smaller caliber that is capable of taking big game then bring it! Paradox guns firing single lead balls will also be allowed. Sorry, but no handguns, pump or semi-automatic firearms. You will need about 30 rounds. ABSOLUTELY NO LIGHT LOADS!

The Rules: All guns will be placed in the racks with actions open. When it is your turn to shoot, you will be directed to get your rifle by the range master. SAFETY AND MUZZLE CONTROL ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE! The start position will generally be low ready with a round in the chamber, finger off the trigger and the safety on, unless otherwise directed by range staff. A range master “PH” will stay beside you at all times while on the course. On most stages, there will be a limited amount of ammunition allowed in your gun when starting the stage, extra rounds will have to be loaded from the belt, pocket, butt stock etc. We reserve the right to change the course of fire based on our disposition, your disposition, the untimely demise of the targets, comments from the peanut gallery, weather or whatever other factors may be present. All distances are approximate and subject to change.

The Course of fire: Shooting positions will vary from standing on your hind legs and shooting offhand, to kneeling and seated. Frequently it will be a combination of positions. Some stages may require the use of shooting sticks which will be provided. Many stages will require you to fire at a target, move to another spot, reload and then fire at a second target.  All movement will be done with an empty gun and all reloading will be done once you are safely at the next shooting position. If you have any physical issues that preclude a certain activity we will cheerfully accommodate you. 

The 10 stage course is specifically designed to NOT favor any particular style of rifle or sight system.  Distances will vary between 5 and 75+ yards. Targets will vary from life-size broadside buffalo and elephant heads to clay birds, water jugs and steel gongs.

Location: Libby Shooting Sports Complex on Farm to Market Road across from the Libby Airport.

Time: Shooting starts at 8am SHARP! Please arrive plenty early to check in and get setup. Remember to bring lawn chairs, hat and sunscreen, food and drinks (NO ALCOHOL ON RANGE PROPERTY). Water and soft drinks will be available for purchase in the clubhouse.

Please email  safaririflechallenge@yahoo.com to sign up or request more information.

There will be vendors on site including Montana Rifle Company and Norma USA who will once again have a large display of their rifles and ammunition available to test fire. Skinner Sights will display their line of fine aperture sights and custom carry/range bags.

Directions from Libby: Take Hwy 2 east about 3 miles from town. As the highway starts up a steep hill in front of you, watch for Bowker Road at the bottom of the hill on your LEFT side. Take Bowker about 100 yards to the intersection with State Rd 482 (Farm to Market Road). Turn RIGHT on 482 and go 3.5 miles to the range which will be on your left. If you get to the airport you have just passed the range.

Directions from Kalispell - HWY 2: as you come down the steep hill entering Libby, turn RIGHT on Bowker. Take Bowker about 100 yards to the intersection with State Road 482 (Farm to Market Road). Turn RIGHT on 482 and go 3.5 miles to the range which will be on your left. If you get to the airport you have just passed the range.

Airports: For those who are flying from out of state, the nearest airport is in Kalispell, MT about 100 miles away. The cheapest airport to fly into will probably be Spokane, WA about 180 miles away. 

Amtrak: Serves Libby MT.

Car rentals: Available through Libby Auto Sales at 406-293-7717  http://www.libbyautosales.com/ or Timberline Ford/Dodge at 406-293-4128 https://www.timberlineauto.com/salesservice.html 

Local motels:

www.ventureinnlibby.com  406-293-7711

www.sandmanmotel.us      406-293-8831

www.thehuckleberryhouse.com  406-293-9720

www.dumontscreeksidebnb.com  406-293-0660

www.montanacountryinn.com    406-293-2092

www.thecaboosemotel.com 406-293-6201

Evergreen Motel     406-293-4178

Please email safaririflechallenge@yahoo.com  to sign up or request more information. FYI, space is very limited!     

Sincerely, 

Jay C. Sheffield Match Director