Tag: review

Categories
Hunting

Field & Stream hydroProof ULTRA Review and Field Test

Field Stream hydroproof review

Fall is upon us and the deer are rapidly approaching the peak of the rutting season. The Rocky mountains and the northeastern states have already experienced their first heavy snows of the year, and other areas are experiencing the cold rain that comes as the weather patterns change from the heat of summer to the cold of winter.

If you’re planning on entering the woods to hunt, or are simply going to be out in the elements, you need to make sure that you have the proper gear to keep you warm and dry. To help keep you comfortable, I wrote this review of the Field & Stream Field & Stream hydroProof Ultra outerwear.

I am truly blessed to live in a part of the country that boasts some of the biggest trophy bucks on the record books, but I also live in an area where the weather can go from 70 degrees one day to below freezing the next! Usually that brings some form of precipitation along with it. Having the right outerwear is crucial to a successful hunt, and is just as important as my selection of rifle and ammunition.

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Categories
news

Gripwell Review for AR-15

Gripwell Installation and Review

Recently, I received a new product for review. Called the Gripwell, the polymer shell assembles to form a dedicated holding location on the magazine well of the AR-15 rifle. It also incorporates a mag funnel to help speed reloads.

So, how did it work? Was it easy to install? Let’s take a look.

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Categories
Hunting

Remington RF-05 Hunting Boots

Remington RF05 Hunting Boots Review

Need a pair of hunting boots? Take a look at this review of the Remington RF-05 hunting boots. These Remington boots are an all-purpose 8″ leather hunting boot. The RF-05 has a Max-Dri waterproof liner, making these boots a good choice in all weather conditions.

Radians, who manufactures these boots under license, sent me a pair of these boots for review. When I first pulled this pair of boots out of the box, I was immediately impressed by the look and style of them. The leather has a rich brown color, and a pleasant feel.

The boots were comfortable to put on, and sized correctly. I wear a 10 1/2, and these fit exactly right. With a thicker winter sock, I would suggest looking at a 1/2 size larger boot.

Remington boots

The laces seem a little thinner than other boot laces, but they seemed strong enough for regular use in the field. The upper part of the boots had speed lace loops, allowing for easy lacing up and removing of the boots.

Wearing the boots in the field, I found them to be comfortable with very little break in needed. The soles gave very good support.

Additionally, the ankle support was excellent. I have the awful tendency to ‘roll’ my ankles. These Remington RF-05 boots fully supported my ankles, and I had no problems while wearing these in the woods.

review of hunting boots with waterproof liner

The waterproof liner worked as advertised. I found a few puddles to stand in, and the water never got to my feet. If you have ever been in the field with wet feet, you know how miserable that can quickly become. I rarely wear any boots into the woods that are not waterproof for that reason.

Overall, I really liked these boots. They look good and are comfortable to wear. As a general purpose hunting or field boot, I think they are worth a look. They would certainly go well with the Field & Stream HydroProof gear that Aaron reviewed here. The suggested retail price of the Remington RF-05 is $129.99.

review of the Remington RF05 hunting boots

(Ed. note: This review was written in 2009. Since then, these boots have been discontinued. I’d also like to think that my writing has improved since then.

For what it is worth, I still own these boots. They continue to look and wear great.)

Categories
Handguns

Walther PK380 Pistol

The Walther PK380 pistol is a newest .380 ACP handgun for sale and is based on the very popular P22. It is a compact handgun with a polymer frame. The gun is hammer fired, not striker fired as many modern polymer guns are.

These Walther pistols are not the tiny, subcompact pistols like the Ruger LCP. Instead, the PK380 handguns are a little larger, which makes them easier to shoot. By having a marginally larger size, the guns tend to be more reliable and can have features typically found on large handguns like a larger capacity and better sights.

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Categories
Ammunition

.327 Federal Magnum A Viable Self Defense Caliber?

Ever since Ruger and Federal introduced the .327 Federal Magnum in November of 2007, I have been intrigued by the potential of this caliber. Granted, any new firearm caliber has a serious uphill battle to be accepted by the general shooting public. But, the .32 has been around and used for self-defense since the 1800s. Let’s be honest…the .32 has never been known as a “man-stopper,” but is has had a small portion of the firearms market. Could the .327 Federal Magnum make the .32 a serious self-defense caliber?

After Ruger’s introduction of the SP101 chambered for the new cartridge, Charter Arms released the Patriot series of revolvers chambered for the .327 Federal Magnum. In the Jan/Feb 2009 issue of American Handgunner, John Taffin tested the Patriot and gave his opinions on the gun and caliber. Out of the 2.2″ barrel on the Patriot, the 115 grain Speer Gold Dot was smoking along at about 1230 fps for more than 385 foot-pounds of energy. The milder-recoiling 85 grain Federal JHP was in the 1220s with more than 280 ft-lbs of energy.

Those are respectable numbers for a self-defense firearm, especially when you consider they are coming out of a 2.2″ barrel. In a short carbine, I imagine the .327 could be a fantastic small game gun.

To my knowledge, no one has been forced to use a .327 Federal Magnum in a self-defense shooting. Without a stack of positive results from “the street,” I’m hesitant to recommend this caliber. However, if you prefer a .32 caliber firearm, the .327 is a vast improvement over the .32 H&R Magnum and its predecessors. With speeds in the 1200s, the bullet will expand after striking, unlike the bullets out of the weaker .32’s.

Update – Speer added another Gold Dot load for this cartridge. The new load uses a 100-grain bullet that is rated at a blistering 1,500 fps. This is exceptionally fast. I would imagine that this load in a lever-action rifle would be incredible. It should be more than adequate to provide for home defense and could even be a decent combination for taking small to medium size game.

Another Update – Ruger no longer makes the SP101 with a 3″ barrel for this cartridge. They do make the gun with a 4.2″ barrel for it now. While you get the benefit of additional velocity, I wonder how much harder it is to conceal the gun. In an IWB, it should not be a problem. However, in an outside the waistband rig, the extra barrel length may be visible from under a short jacket.