Volume I, Number 10, October 2007
Volume I, Number 10, October 2007
Featured Gun Give-away
Starting October 1st, Ohio Valley Outdoors will be offering the chance to win a Smith & Wesson Military & Police pistol in 9mm. We will be holding a poker shootoff: shoot at a poker target with 5 rounds, best hand at the end of the contest wins a brand new M&P!
Here's how it works: for an entry fee of $5, we will provide you with 5 rounds of 9mm, a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm, a poker target containing all 52 cards in the deck, eye and hearing protection, and the necessary range time. You will then have the chance to shoot at the target at 25 feet. Whatever cards you hit will be your poker hand. Best hand at the end of the contest walks away with the gun. Everyone will use the same gun, the same type of ammunition, and the same type of target, so it comes down to shooting skill. You can try as many times as you like for $5 a hand.
The new Smith & Wesson M&P is the latest in along line of handguns designed specifically for the rigors of law enforcement and defense use. Available in .357 Sig, .40 S&W, or 9mm, the M&P has all the built in features you expect in a top-notch tactical pistol.
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Day-to-Day Durability
Real-World Versatility
Safety at Hand
Stop by our range for your chance to take home the M&P. We also have this gun available to rent if you are interested in learning more about it. For complete contest rules, click here.
Concealed Carry Training Our next classes are scheduled for October 6, October 20, and November 3. Call or stop by now to register, class size is limited. Cost for the Course is $149.99 and includes all necessary equipment. For more information, visit our website at www.ovoutdoors.com and click on Concealed Training. |
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Buying Guide: Muzzleloaders
Muzzleloading rifles have become increasingly popular lately, and more manufacturers than ever are now producing their version of a muzzleloading hunting rifle. With this increased popularity have come tremendous technological advances in the way a muzzleloader fires, and a modern muzzleloader is as accurate as a standard cartridge rifle. In addition, hunting with a muzzleloader will provide you with a week and a half of extra hunting time during deer season.
A muzzleloader, or blackpowder rifle, is a rifle that is loaded with black powder or its equivalent and a projectile via the muzzle of the gun, vice loading a cartridge in the breech. While the term "muzzleloader" may conjure images of Davy Crockett or fur traders, recent technological advances have significantly changed the look and feel of muzzleloaders, while leaving the basic process of loading relatively unchanged.
Muzzleloaders can be divided into two main groups: sidelock and in-line. Both groups still require loading powder and a projectile via the muzzle, but differ greatly in the way in which the powder is ignited. Sidelocks are the more traditional muzzleloader, with an external hammer on the side of the rifle that is manually cocked and then released when the trigger is pulled. In-line muzzleloaders look more like a modern cartridge rifle and have a hammer in the rear of the barrel. The primer is accessed by different means; a break open action, a bolt, or pulling back the hammer assembly. In-line actions result in a slightly shorter delay between pulling the trigger of the muzzleloader and the bullet exiting the barrel. While not long enough to be noticed by the naked eye, this delay can affect accuracy if the proper follow through is not maintained.
Apart from the previously mentioned two groups, Connecticut Valley Arms (CVA) has recently introduced the Electra, an electronically ignited muzzleloader, a gun truly in a category on its own. Powered by a 9V battery, the ARC™ Electronic Ignition system is completely sealed from the elements. The only portion of the Electra that needs cleaning is the barrel itself and a single 9V battery will fire the rifle at least 500 times.
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In conjunction with the advent of in-line actions, another major improvement to the traditional muzzleloader is the use of shotgun shell primers for ignition. In the past, the powder charge in the muzzleloader was ignited by means of a #11 percussion cap. This produced sufficient spark to ignite a standard powder charge, but often would have trouble with pre-measured pellet charges. The use of type 209 shotgun shell primers along with pre-measured pellet charges has led to faster and more uniform burn rates. This improves both accuracy and effective distance. Modern muzzleloaders are also able to withstand much higher pressures than traditional sidelocks, allowing them to be loaded with more powder, further increasing their range.
Along with significant changes and advances in muzzleloading rifles themselves, there have been many changes to the types of projectiles fired from a muzzleloader. The traditional muzzleloading bullet used to be a round or conical lead ball, seated on a patch of cloth. Modern muzzleloading bullets resemble the bullets used in modern rifle cartridges. Two commonly seen improvements in muzzleloading ammunition are sabots and the use controlled expansion rounds.
The term sabot refers to the plastic container in which the bullet is fired. This plastic holder allows you to use a smaller bullet made of material harder than lead. Whereas with a lead round, the lead itself conforms to the barrel's rifling, when using a sabot, the plastic sabot grabs onto the rifling. This means you will still have a spin on your projectile, but you can use harder material better suited to controlled expansion. Because you can use a smaller bullet, you can achieve higher velocities and better long range performance.
Because of the widespread use of sabot rounds, controlled expansion rounds are now frequently used in muzzleloaders. These rounds are often lead coated with a harder material, just as in modern rifle or pistol cartridges. This harder external material limits the rate of expansion of the projectile, allowing for deeper penetration. The softer lead interior still expands, ensuring there is a balance between expansion and penetration.
Muzzleloading has changed by leaps and bounds in the past decade. For those of you who have not looked into muzzleloading hunting recently, stop by and take a look at our selection of rifles and accessories. You are sure to find some technological surprises.
Image courtesy of Knight Muzzleloading.
22 Caliber Fun Shoot
Our weekly 22 handgun fun shoot continues, every Wednesday at 6PM. Come join us for some friendly competition with your 22 caliber pistol or revolver. Cost is $5 for range members and $7 for non-members.
Each participant will be timed while shooting down 6 targets in a gallery style setup. Prizes will be awarded for the fastest single round and the fastest overall. We will continue shooting rounds until the range closes. Total number of rounds will be based on number of participants.
No registration is required. Please stop by or call (740) 654-1956 for more information.
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Road • Lancaster, OH 43130
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