Story Archive pre 2017
Story Archive
Below you can find a list of stories that have previously appeared on this site. Are you looking for a particular article or story from a past issue? Maybe a gun review? If you’ve looked through our Back Issues and are still unable to find what you are looking for, please feel free to call us at (800) 676-8920 or send an email to our Production department. Please include your name and email, as they are required, and a detailed message so that we may contact you with our response.
2009
September
The Common
Single-Shot Shotgun
by Jerry Thoms
A practical, versatile, inexpensive firearm for an introduction to shotgunning, hunting or collecting.
October
Goose Guns
by L.P. Brezny
Modern designs for taking honkers.
November
Bushings vs.
Universal Charge Bar
by Jeff Meloy
Is one better than the other?
December
The Snipe — America’s Forgotten Gamebird
by Mel & Sandy Toponce
A most challenging quarry.
2010
January
Choke Choices
Made Simple
by Jarrod Spilger
Deciding which to use when.
February
In Defense Of
Swing-Through
by Stuart L. Lucas, Photos by Johnny Cantu
An often-ignored technique.
March
Breaking Point:
The Gil & Vicki Ash Shooting System
by L.P. Brezny
Gil & Vicki Ash help you find the sweet spot.
April
Shotguns For
Home Defense
by L.P. Brezny
Be informed and prepared.
May
A Dynamic Approach To Sporting Clays
by Anthony I. Matarese, Jr.
Tips from a top pro for improving your game.
June
The Successful Gun Club:
Dan Mitchell’s Passion
Story and photos by Suzanne Marx
Dan Mitchell’s tips for a better–run club.
July
Briley High–Tech Shootout
by Johnny Cantu
Hear ye, hear ye — new voice–release systems.
August
Chronographing Basics
by L.P. Brezny
How it works and who needs it.
September
Birds Of The Yucatan
by Jon Wongrey
Mexico’s best teal and bobwhite hunting.
October
Do I Need A Backup Gun?
by D.J. Phillips
Yes, if you’re serious about competing.
November
The Perfect Course
by Mike McAlpine
Advice for target setters on sporting courses.
December
50 Gifts To Improve Your Shooting Experience
by Phil Ross
Save time and reduce frustration with these great tips.
2011
January
Deer Hunting
With A Shotgun
by Ed Clapper
Ed goes slug–hunting for the first time.
February
Look Who’s Talking
by Connie Mako Miller
Trap’s Stacy Bringelson.
March
Stop Struggling On Handicap & Doubles
by Frank Neumayer
Improve at Handicap and overcome Doubles’ intimidation.
April
Bare Bones Setups
For Ducks
by Mark Fike
Make the most of a little.
May
Insuring Your Shotguns
by Jerry Thoms
Do you have adequate coverage for your firearms?
June
Learn From The Best
by Robert R. Comal
New trap DVDs from Leo Harrison & new “Shooting Sporting Clays” book.
July
Trigger Control
by Phil Ross
The benefits of dynamic timing.
August
Is Your Stock
The Right Length?
Story & Photos by Johnny Cantu
Too long or too short… or just right.
September
Muller Chokes
Review & Photos by Johnny Cantu
Radically new lightweight choke system.
October
Look Who’s Talking
by Connie Mako Miller
Skeet’s John Herkowitz.
November
50 Tips For Shooters
by Phil Ross
Suggestions to save time and score better.
December
Learn From The Best
by Robert R. Comal
New DVD from Anthony Matarese, Jr. and revised “With Winning In Mind” book.
2012
January
Vision & Aging
by Todd Bender, Photos by Johnny Cantu
How to adapt and stay on top of your game.
February
2011 NSCA Nationals
by Johnny Cantu
Sporting clays’ best compete with high honors.
March
Learn From The Best
by Robert R. Comal
Chris Batha’s Breaking Clays & Paul Giambrone III’s new skeet DVD.
April
Turkey Loads:
Not Just For Turkeys
by Stephen D. Carpenteri
Try ’em on some other game.
May
Shooting The Towers
by Mike McAlpine
Do the tower shots make you tremble?
June
Vintage Skeet
by Ron Jones
A grand old game for classic American games.
July
Game On!
by Mike McAlpine
Popular variations on the games of clay.
August
Trapshooting In The Wind
by Phil Ross
Learn to overcome this weather challenge.
September
Challenging Targets
by Mike McAlpine
Sporting clays’ quartering, Chandelle & Rabbit.
October
Developing Muscle Memory Without Firing A Shot
by Johnny Cantu
Repetition is the key… and now it’s easier.
November
Learn From The Best
by Robert R. Comal
Chris Batha’s “Instinctive Shot” book & Don Currie’s “Focus–Movement–Faith” DVD.
December
Over/Under vs.
Side–by–Side
by Thomas Buck
Which design is superior?
2013
January
Sporting World
Loses A Legend
by Johnny Cantu
We give tribute to Daniele Perazzi.
February
A Winning Three Of A Kind
by L.P. Brezny
An SX–3 can make for a great hunt.
March
Pattern Analysis For Busy Sportsmen
by Ron Jones
Why spend an entire day studying patterns.
April
Learn From The Best
by Robert R. Comal
Giambrone’s new DVD “The Mental Game & Skeet Doubles” reviewed.
May
“Karate Kid” Moves For Sporting Clays
by Mike McAlpine
Use every trick to score.
June
Crossfiring
by John Bulger
Don’t get cross with your target.
July
State-of-the-Art Hearing Protection
by Johnny Cantu
Pro Fit Custom Ear Plugs.
August
Optimum Optics
by Johnny Cantu
Advice from the Glasses Gurus.
September
Learn From The Best
by Robert R. Comal
Sporting DVDs from John Woolley & Gebben Miles.
October
Learn From The Best
by Robert R. Comal
Two new instructional skeet DVDs from Todd Bender.
November
The SxS & Instinctive Shooting
by Ron Jones
Another perspective on the classic double.
2014
January
2013 World Skeet Championships
by Johnny Cantu
Ceremonies galore on hallowed ground.
February
Improve Your Wingshooting with Sporting Clays
by Anthony I. Matarese
Practice sporting clays to bag more birds next season.
March
Resizing Shotgun Shells
by John Bulger
Advice for reloading enthusiasts with collet–type machines.
April
Trapshooting
Under Pressure
by Phil Ross
Find your unnerving comfort zone.
May
The Secret to Being Consistent
by Mike McAlpine
Fundamentals to apply in sporting clays.
June
Making The Perfect Shot
by Mike Westjohn
Trapshooting champ reveals ways to improve your scores.
July
Coaching Newbies
by Dave Robinson
Suggestions for welcoming first–timers.
August
Rainy Day Guns
by Ron Jones
Selecting the best old beater for inclement weather.
October
Keeping Kids in the Hunt
by Ron Jones
Laying the groundwork for the younger generation.
November
Old Guns & Pressure
by Ron Jones
You’ve finally decided to take granddad’s old gun out of the safe and shoot it...
2015
February
Starting Off On
The Right Foot
by Ross E. Swope
How to provide new shooters with the proper essentials.
May
Windy Day Clays
by Mike McAlpine
How to handle tricky conditions.
June
Know Your Target
by Mike Westjohn
The ATA Rule Book has three rules about the clay target.
July
Choosing A Coach
by Mike McAlpine
It's important to choose a coach you get along with.
August
Best Invention For Trapshooting
by Jacque Snellenberger
The clay target voice release system is the single largest and greatest advancement that leads to...
September
Hunter's Clay
by Ron Jones
I assumed that since the game was designed to simulate upland hunting, the three-second rule was a carry-over from the original game of skeet...
October
Margin For Error
by Ron Jones
Hitting a clay target consistently, time after time, requires far more precision on the part of the shooter than most people realize. The margin for error is very small. It’s truly an amazing feat of skill and precision.
November
In The Zone
by Robert E. Petersen, Ph.D.
How do we enter "The Zone" on demand? If you’ve been shooting for a while, you probably have been in the Zone a couple of times…or more. As a result, you know what it feels like to you. Not everyone who reflects on their time in the Zone will describe it exactly the same way, but there are consistencies.
December
The Evolution of the Competitive Skeet Shotgun
by John Bulger
The shotguns used in competitive skeet have changed or perhaps better stated, evolved considerably over the years. The first National Skeet Championships were held in 1926. Not long after...
2016
January
How's That Gun Choked?
by Ron Jones
How a bore micrometer identifies unique choke configurations. If I mismatched a slightly oversized MobilChoke from one gun with a slightly undersized bore in the second gun, the pattern performance could conceivably vary by an entire choke designation.
February
Distance vs Deception
by Mike McAlpine
I believe, while our major courses should include some long-distance birds and fast targets, they also need targets that require good target-reading skills and different ways to tackle these presentations that can fool the best shooters. After all, anyone can set...
March
Helice
by John Bulger
While I have shot most of the clay target disciplines over my shooting career, most of my experience has been in skeet shooting until recently. A few months ago I experimented with another shooting discipline called helice, also known as zz birds or electrocibles. Some of you may be familiar with the game ...
April
Baby, I'm Worth It!
by Holly Heard Bauschka
I used to be reluctant to confess my hobby to other ladies until I realized the typical wide-eyed response was, "Wow! You go girl! That would be so much fun, but I just don’t have the courage to go it alone."
May
Decoding Presentations
by Mike McAlpine
Most of us have walked onto a station, and after looking at the presentation, said to ourselves: “How in the world do I break that?” Or maybe the question of lead pops into your mind..."
June
Fighting Fatique
by Todd Bender
atigue can be a lot more complicated than just getting tired. It can build quickly or over a long period of time. Learning to recognize and combat the problem before it becomes detrimental to your on-field performance is key..."
July
Gun Test: Blaser F16
by Johnny Cantu
The new Blaser F16 Sporting and Game Guns are equipped to hold their own in the way of quality, features and reliability yet maintain a lower price tag in the market."
August
A Trip to RIO
by Johnny Cantu
In the East Texas town of Marshall, RIO Ammunition has made a large investment in a full-scale shotshell manufacturing facility. This is good news for...
September
Safety in the Duck Blind
by Rone Jones
With all of the discussion about gun control as the 2016 political season goes into full swing, it’s important to preface this article by stating the obvious: “the safest place to be in America is a gun club or a duck blind...and the most vulnerable is a Gun-Free Zone”.
October
Effective Training
by Todd Bender
our scores in competition can be a direct reflection of the effort and level of learning that you have achieved when training. Focus on achievements in practice with goals that make training more important and impactful to your shooting.
November
Gun Test
by L.P. Brezny
New Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen
Sleek, fast handling, easy on the shoulder and great looks, this modern version of the classic Browning Sweet Sixteen will tempt you to relive those days as a kid hunting with your dad’s 16 gauge.
December
Gun Test
by Johnny Cantu
Mossberg 930 Sporting
The new 930 Sporting is one of the Pro Series line of shotguns from Mossberg featuring special finishes on specific areas that improve reliability in feeding and extraction. The 930 Sporting is rich in features and, like all Mossberg firearms, a great value for your money.
