Firearms

Firearms

• Hunting
• Firearms

How Do Modern Cartridges Stack Up Against Old-Timers?

Aug 29, 2025A few weeks ago, I published an article highlightingthe 10 best modern hunting cartridges. My intention wasn’t to hate on older cartridges, just to provide a list of some of the best new offerings of the last 25 years.Still, some commenters felt compelled to defend their favorite cartridges (an honorable impulse), and several argued that these newfangled PRC’s and Creedmoor’s and ARC’s are all hat and no cattle. They don’tactuallyoutperform tried-and-true designs—they’re just meant to fleece the hunting public for more money and give gun writers something to spill ink on.I don’t agree with this entirely, but it got me wondering whether these Fudds(who I love)might have a point. It’s hard to argue that modern cartridges don’t have anything to offer, but are those benefits worth, say, the cost of a new rifle? Are they far and away better than the old-timers or just marginally more effective?

A few weeks ago, I published an article highlighting the 10 best modern hunting cartridges. My intention wasn’t to hate on older cartridges, just to provide a list of some of the best new offerings of the last 25 years. Still, some commenters felt compelled to defend their favorite cartridges (an...

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Firearms

• Hunting
• Firearms

Caliber Battle: 25 Creedmoor vs. 6.5 Creedmoor

Feb 3, 2023It’s tough to be the new kid on the block.Just ask the 6.5 Creedmoor.Now, theFuddshave another Hot New Thang to dismiss with a wave and a grunt: the 25 Creedmoor.Announced late last month, the 25 Creed has garnereda healthy amount of praisealong with its fair share ofcold water. It’s early days for this cartridge, and we’ll know more in the months and years to come, but I still wanted to do a deep dive into the data to see how it stacks up against its extremely popular 6.5mm predecessor.

It’s tough to be the new kid on the block. Just ask the 6.5 Creedmoor. Now, the Fudds have another Hot New Thang to dismiss with a wave and a grunt: the 25 Creedmoor. Announced late last month, the 25 Creed has garnered a healthy amount of praise along with its fair share of cold water. It’s early...

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Firearms

• Hunting
• Firearms

Caliber Battle: 300 PRC vs. .300 Win. Mag.

Jun 1, 2021When Hornadydescribesthe 300 PRC as an “intelligently crafted 21st century magnum cartridge,” it’s hard not to read that as a dig at .300 Win. Mag. fans.As perhaps the most popular .30-caliber magnum of all time, the Win. Mag. is the PRC’s direct competition. But it’s not a 21st-century creation. It wasn’t designed for the high-speed low-drag bullets so popular today, andas I’ve written elsewhere, its chamber design leaves something to be desired. If the Win. Mag. isn’t "intelligently crafted,” Hornady implies, what does that say about its aficionados?I’ll cut that line of thinking short and get back to the question at hand: if you’re looking for a .30-caliber magnum to chase elk or moose, should you go with the tried-and-true .300 Win. Mag. or the more refined 300 PRC? Keep reading to find out.

When Hornady describes the 300 PRC as an “intelligently crafted 21st century magnum cartridge,” it’s hard not to read that as a dig at .300 Win. Mag. fans. As perhaps the most popular .30-caliber magnum of all time, the Win. Mag. is the PRC’s direct competition. But it’s not a 21st-century creation...

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Firearms

• Hunting
• Firearms

.300 Win. Mag. vs. 7mm Rem. Mag.

May 18, 2023When someone contacted me recently to suggest this Caliber Battle matchup, I couldn’t believe we hadn’t done it before. If you ask your average American hunter which big boy caliber he uses, the .300 Win. Mag. and the 7mm Rem. Mag. are the two most likely candidates. And the data backs that up: among theproduct offeringson Midway USA, these are the two most popular magnum rifle cartridges in the country.The popularity of both cartridges speaks to their efficacy, but if you have to pick one, which is better? That’s the question we seek to answer in theCaliber Battle series, and this matchup is no different.

When someone contacted me recently to suggest this Caliber Battle matchup, I couldn’t believe we hadn’t done it before. If you ask your average American hunter which big boy caliber he uses, the .300 Win. Mag. and the 7mm Rem. Mag. are the two most likely candidates. And the data backs that up...

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Firearms

• Hunting
• Firearms

The Best 9mm Handguns

Mar 21, 2025Nine millimeter semi-automatic handguns are the most popular type of firearm in the United States. You might not hunt deer with a Glock, but if you own a handgun for self-defense–asmost gun owners do–it probably uses a detachable magazine and is chambered in 9mm Luger. Many hunters carry these firearms into the woods for protection in case things go sideways with another human, andyou can make a solid casefor their use against charging bears, too.The popularity of 9mm handguns has incentivized gun companies to offer scores of models with a wide range of features, capacities, and capabilities. These days, it seems like every gunmaker (eventhose you wouldn’t expect) offer an all-black semi-auto. If you’ve been scrolling through sporting goods websites wondering how to narrow the field, you’ve come to the right place.As I did withthis article on 10mm handguns, I asked Scheels to send me some of their newest, most sought-after 9mm models, and I ran them through a gauntlet of testing to see how they stack up against each other. You might not agree with my assessment, but I hope the info below is helpful as you choose your first–or next–9mm.

Nine millimeter semi-automatic handguns are the most popular type of firearm in the United States. You might not hunt deer with a Glock, but if you own a handgun for self-defense–as most gun owners do–it probably uses a detachable magazine and is chambered in 9mm Luger. Many hunters carry these...

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Firearms

• Hunting
• Firearms

Ruger's SFAR Is Built for Hunters. Should You Get One Before It's Too Late?

Feb 13, 2026The concept behind Ruger’s Small-Frame Autoloading (SFAR) rifle was simple: .308 Winchester power in an AR-15-sized package.Many hunters have adopted the AR-15 as a hunting rifle due to its light weight, modularity, and easy maneuverability. Problem is, the .223 Remington cartridge most commonly chambered in these rifles is underpowered for big game. It can tackle deer-sized animals with the right bullet, but most prefer to have a little more horsepower under the hood.The AR-10 platform can be chambered in one of those more energetic cartridges, usually the .308 Winchester. But that platform tends to be bigger and heavier than an AR-15, which negates one of the big reasons a hunter would pick an AR over a bolt gun.

The concept behind Ruger’s Small-Frame Autoloading (SFAR) rifle was simple: .308 Winchester power in an AR-15-sized package. Many hunters have adopted the AR-15 as a hunting rifle due to its light weight, modularity, and easy maneuverability. Problem is, the .223 Remington cartridge most commonly...

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Firearms

• Hunting
• Firearms

The Seekins HAVAK PH3 Is (Almost) Everything You Want in a Modern Hunting Rifle

Sep 12, 2025For all the advancements in weapons technology over the last 100 years, the bolt-action rifle has remained remarkably constant. The design is durable and accurate, and much to the chagrin of gunmakers looking to make a splash, tough to improve upon: the same up-out-in-down motion British Tommies used in World War I is mimicked by American snipers, SWAT operators, and hunters in 2026.Of course, that’s not to say we haven’t seenanyimprovements over the last century. Bolt guns today are smoother and more accurate than their predecessors, and modern manufacturing has lowered the costs of achieving that quality. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the PH3, the latest innovation from Idaho gunmaker, Seekins Precision.The PH3 is pretty much everything you want in a modern hunting rifle. It combines an innovative new action with all the bells and whistles: a TriggerTech trigger, an adjustable stock, a 20-MOA scope base, a full-length M-LOK rail, a 60-degree bolt throw, a silky smooth action, and Seekins’ quick-change barrel system. It’s tough to think of a feature the PH3doesn’thave, and its sub-$2000 price point should make it an attractive option for anyone looking at the high-end hunting rifle category.

For all the advancements in weapons technology over the last 100 years, the bolt-action rifle has remained remarkably constant. The design is durable and accurate, and much to the chagrin of gunmakers looking to make a splash, tough to improve upon: the same up-out-in-down motion British Tommies...

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Firearms

• Hunting
• Firearms

Tikka Ace Target: The Best Competition Rifle Under $2,000 (Full Review)

Sep 25, 2024When you hear the terms “long-range shooting,” “competition rifle,” and “sniper,” what gunmakers come to mind? “Tikka” might not top your list, but I think that could be about to change.Especially in disciplines like NRL Hunter, competitive shooters are turning to Tikka’s T3x platform, swapping out the factory stock for a chassis, and hitting the circuit. Tikka has taken notice of this trend, and their new line of Ace rifles is designed to give shooters an out-of-the-box option with no need for a stock swap.I think they’re onto something. As long as this test rifle isn’t an outlier, the Ace has a shot to become one of the best factory competition rifles on the market today.

When you hear the terms “long-range shooting,” “competition rifle,” and “sniper,” what gunmakers come to mind? “Tikka” might not top your list, but I think that could be about to change. Especially in disciplines like NRL Hunter, competitive shooters are turning to Tikka’s T3x platform, swapping out...

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