YETI Brand 18 oz. Rambler Bottle with Slayer of Monsters Logo!

Our YETI brand 18 oz. Rambler bottle is a great addition to your hydration lifestyle. Our Rambler stands out from the herd with a laser engraved Slayer of Monsters logo done by YETI at the factory. 

We recognize the YETI is pricey but for those that have asked…it has returned! Alternatively, we also offer a heavy duty 20 oz. plastic drinking cup for those that want one of our logo cups but at a lower price point. 

Both work great however the Rambler is more versatile since it can serve as both a cup and thermos. Visit the Lifestyle section of our website to learn more or to purchase our customized YETI Rambler. See you in the field!

2019 Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships: Final Report

The 9th 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, the 2019 Safari Rifle Challenge is in the books and Lance Brewer of Snohomish, Washington is the reigning champ. He used a Colt Sauer in .375 H&H to finish 26 points ahead of second place finisher Tor Carter. Gene Gordner and Dennis Wehling tied for third place. Great shooting and congratulations to all who participated and to our top shooters!

A HUGE THANKS to all of our sponsors, particularly Shawn Joyce of DIIZCHE SAFARI ADVENTURES, Dan and Andy from Skinner Sights, Wayne at American Hunting Rifles, Champion Targets and our new supporter Bradley Cheek Rest!

Below, Jay Sheffield (Match Director) with Lance and his first place trophy provided by Shawn Joyce, owner of DIIZCHE SAFARI ADVENTURES.

We had a full house with shooters from 11 states and 3 Canadian provinces.

The weather was threatening but happily we (and our guns) stayed dry for the entire day. Below are a few pictures and our course of fire. I took a lot more video than photos and will try to get them down loaded.

Wayne Jacobson (below) of American Hunting Rifles putting the smackdown on some wild warthogs with one of his custom .600 OK rifles firing a 900 gr bullet!

Mike Dettorre lining up on a motor driven charging hippo.

Taking a shot at the crossing 7' Crocodile........

A safe event and fun time was had by all!

A few items after the event that are ready for shipment back to Santa's Island for broken toys.

2019 Safari Rifle Challenge Course of Fire

Main Range Events

1. Checking Zero---Four shooters on the line. Starting position will be two rounds in rifle, safety on. On the signal you will fire two rounds at the 45 yard paper target then load and fire one round at the 100 yard steel plate. Open action, show clear, muzzle up during scoring and return to the gun rack.

2. Shoot and Move---Load 1 round, safety on, low ready position. On the signal, shoot the 60 yard steel plate, move to next spot, load 1 round and shoot 80 yard steel plate. Move to next spot, load 1 round and shoot the 70 yard plate. Open action, show clear, muzzle up, return to gun rack when done.

3. Charging Hippo---Rifle loaded with two rounds, safety on. On the signal, shoot the 60 yard steel plate kill zone. Reload and take one shot at the charging Hippo. (Kill zones will be faintly marked for scoring purposes; you must evaluate the angle then shoot at the heart/lung area). Open action, show clear, muzzle up, return to gun rack when done.

4. Long Range Shot---Load 1 round, safety on, low ready position. On the signal, shoot the 110 yard steel plate for 10 points. If you hit it then you have the option to shoot one round at the 130 yard plate. If you try the far plate, score will be “DOUBLE OR NOTHING”! Open action, show clear, muzzle up when done.

5. 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, return to gun rack when done.

Shooting Bay Events

1. Crocodile Hunting---Two rounds in rifle, safety on, low ready. On the signal fire one round at the hanging 2’’ orange DuraSeal “croc brain” target. A hit equals 20 points and you are done. If you miss, the crocodile will immediately charge forward, and you must shoot him on the point of the near shoulder (10 points) before he escapes to the water. Open action, show clear, muzzle up when done.

2. Warthog Rodeo---Starting position will be low ready with 2 rounds in the rifle, safety on. On the signal, shoot one round at either of the two rapidly crossing warthogs. On your shot a third warthog will rise up facing you for approx. 3 seconds. Shoot him before he disappears. Only hits that break the clay target vital zone will receive a 10-point score. Open action, show clear, muzzle up, return to gun rack.

3. Zip Line---Two rounds in the rifle, safety on, low ready. On the signal the sliding gallon water jug will start towards you. You must shoot at the small water bottle on the stump in the corner of range BEFORE you shoot at the sliding jug. Go fast or get wet! Open action, show clear, muzzle up, return to gun rack.

4. Charging Rhino---Two rounds in rifle, safety on, low ready. On the signal, shoot at the 4” black hanging DuraSeal diamond target. On your shot, the rhino will charge forward. (Kill zones will be faintly marked for scoring purposes; you must evaluate the angle then shoot one round at the heart/lung area). Open action, show clear, muzzle up, return to gun rack.

As I told the participants, we have recently acquired an additional 5 acres for our range and construction of an additional 3 dirt berm enclosed shooting bays (one 100 yards and two 50 yards) is due to start this summer. If they are ready by next June we will be able to expand our number of shooters and switch to a format of five stages running at the same time. You would just need to stroll around and shoot them all before the lunch/raffle break and then five new stages would be ready for the afternoon.

Looking forward to seeing you all next year, our 10th annual event, for an even bigger and better Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships! JCS (Jay Sheffield).

Below, Shawn Joyce of DIIZCHE SAFARI ADVENTURES, on a recent wild boar hunt in Northern California. An Elite Series cheek rest (in MultiCam Black), which Shawn personally uses can be seen in the image. The cheek rest is made by our new supporter Bradley Cheek Rest. 

It was great to see and share a few pictures and hear about everyone having a great time at the annual Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships. I hope to see you all next year! 

Next year, the 2020 Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships will again be held in Libby, Montana at the Libby Rod and Gun Club. The event is always held in June to assure cooler weather.

If you have not had the opportunity to attend one of the shoots, then we hope you will make plans to do so in 2020. The shooting event fills-up very quickly after Jay sends notices to the participants through their participant notification email group.

If you want to sign up, request more information, or get on their notification email group send Jay an email and he will get you squared away. To be added to the (confidential) email group, just contact Jay at safaririflechallenge@yahoo.com .

We hope to see you next year! I will add any additional event day videos or images to this article as they become available. Please check back for more!

Wild Boar Fun with Shawn Joyce (June 2019)-DIIZCHE SAFARI ADVENTURES Clip

Join Shawn Joyce and his friend as they enjoy a couple days of hunting together in Northern California. These cell phone photo and video excerpts by Shawn’s hunting partner expose the viewer to the essence of fun spot and stalk hunting for California’s wild boar.

Wild Boar Fun with Shawn Joyce (June 2019)-DIIZCHE SAFARI ADVENTURES Clip          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLirqzLj5XY 

2019 Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships-Coming Soon!

The 2019 Safari Rifle Challenge World Championships are coming soon. This year represents our 9th 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. The event date has been permanently changed to the second Saturday in June. This year that will fall on Saturday June 8, 2019 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.

Individual Plaque-First Place 

Perpetual Plaque in Clubhouse

Here is an update from Jay regarding the soon to be held 2019 event:

Safari Rifle Challenge

World Championships in Libby, Montana

Saturday June 8, 2019 from 8 am - 4 pm

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 shirt.

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 approximately 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 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 8 am 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

BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Sportsmen’s Bills Pass Senate
February 12, 2019

The Boone and Crockett Club, the oldest wildlife conservation group in the U.S., today praised the Senate’s passage of the Natural Resources Management Act (S. 47), a bipartisan package of bills that includes several key pieces of the Sportsmen’s Act.

“This is good news for all sportsmen concerned about access to places to hunt, fish, target shoot and recreate on public lands,” said Timothy C. Brady, president of the Boone and Crockett Club. “Hunters and recreational shooters need Congress’ help and today was a good first step.”

The Natural Resources Management Act addresses several priorities for American hunters, anglers and recreational shooters: 
• Declares that federal lands are open to public recreation, except in limited circumstances;
• Guarantees funding for public access enhancement projects under the Land and Water Conservation Fund;
• Requires public reporting of reimbursements of legal fees on lawsuits against the government – a step toward reigning in litigation;
• Authorizes hunters to transport bows through National Parks;
• Authorizes use of qualified volunteer hunters in programs to control wildlife populations in National Parks; and,
• Allows BLM to lease or permit shooting ranges on federal land;

Of these critical steps forward, funding for public access is one the Club worked diligently on to have included that is a straightforward benefit for sportsmen. Another addition that the Club believes was an imperative for inclusion that may be of a less obvious benefit is reporting on legal fees. Nonstop litigation against our expert agencies has been crippling the proven systems we have to properly manage wildlife and habitats.

Brady said, “We thank Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, who lead the Committee and members of Senate in the passage of this critical legislation. This package is a testament of the strength and unity of the sportsmen's community, and we urge the House of Representatives to pass it as well.”

Copyright © 2019 Boone and Crockett Club, All rights reserved.

Boone and Crockett Club

250 Station Drive

Missoula, MT 59801

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 10mm 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.