The Range Reviews: Tuff Products Quick Strips

© 2008, 2009, 2010 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Tuff Products Quick Strips

When I head out with my Vaquero, I usually toss another handful of my homebrew +P 45LC rounds in my pocket. I use 320gr Cast Performance LBTs over 21.5 grains of Hodgden H110 powder fired off with Federal magnum primers. That load isn't for the meek or faint of heart. If I got into a gunfight with a cape buffalo, it would be a toss up if I would want my Ruger #1 in 458WM, or the Vaquero stoked to the gills with the LBTs.

I have frequently thought that there must be a better way to carry extra rounds in a neat and orderly manner. Trying to pull loose rounds from your jeans when you're in a hurry doesn't work all that well.

Tuff Products Quick Strips

Fortunately, Tuff™ has produced a series of "Quick Strips" in a variety of cartridge head sizes. They hold the cartridge securely but allow the cartridge to pop free with a minimum of effort.

Quick Strips are available in:

• Ten round 22 rimfire, which will hold 17, 5mm, 22 short or long rifle, and 22 magnum.
• Eight round 32 caliber, that not only carries the 32 S&W to the 32 Magnum, but 30 carbine and 22 Hornet also.
• There is the six round 38 Caliber for 38 special and 357 magnum.
• The 44 caliber Quick Strip holds six rounds of all the 44s, all the 45s, the 454, 460, and 410 shotgun.
• The 50 holds 500 Linbaugh sized case heads.

I filled up several of the Quick Strips and put them in my pants pockets, jacket pocket, the Mrs' purse, and I also used the Tuff™ Quick Strip Pouch. I found that pistol cartridges fared very well in the Quick Strips carried in my pockets. The 30 Carbine and 22 Hornet lost a round or two when I would pull it from my jeans. In jackets or coats the Quick Strips held their cartridges firmly.

The Mrs reports that she didn't lose any rounds to the unfathomable depths of the purse. I found that very surprising, as any money that goes in there is irrevocably lost, never to be seen again. Kudus to Tuff™ and their Quick Strips!

S&W M10 and Tuff Products Quick Strips

With a S&W M10, I found that, with practice, I could load two rounds at a time quickly and with little difficulty. Pulling the strip from the belt pouches was easy. Like everything else in life, if you are going to stake your life on it, practice, practice, practice.

Quick Strip Single Strip Pouch

The Nylon pouches are well made and hold the strips and cartridges securely. It wraps around belts up to two inches wide. It is stitched at the bottom to create a small pouch where you can stash another couple of rounds, or a small item you may deem necessary.

Quick Strip Double Strip Nylon Pouch

Overall, I consider the Tuff™ series of "Quick Strips" a great accessory for a variety of shooters. If you are a wheel gun fan, but don't want or need the bulk of speed loaders, this is a viable alternative. Hunters can carry extra rounds in a convenient fashion, keeping them clean and close at hand. A quick perusal of Cartridges of the World will determine which cartridges will also fit in the Quick Strips.

Tuff™ Products
877-883-3776

Quick Strips
MSRP: $8.49

Tuff™ Single Quick Strip Pouch
MSRP: $19.99

Tuff™ Double Quick Strip Pouch
MSRP: $22.99

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

The Importance of Training; With Average Joe

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Average Joe's Handgun Review has a fantastic post on training with a handgun. The Importance of Training covers many salient points and should be a must read for all of you that are intent on using your sidearms for defense.

"It is very apparent to me that anyone who buys a handgun for self defense is doing themselves a huge disservice if they do not take advantage of the training that may be available near them." says Joe, and I fully agree with him.

Joe goes on to say and encourage everyone to spend a few bucks for advanced training. "The advantages of advanced levels of training are twofold:
1. It allows you to practice in a more realistic manner and practice skills that you cannot practice in most public ranges.
2. It allows you to discover what equipment works best for you."

It's a great read and I highly recommend it to everyone!

Again it's: The Importance of Training

Regards,
Albert
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
The Range Reviews: Tactical
Proud Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

The Range Reviews: Eureka Timberline 2 Tent

© 2009, 2010 Albert A Rasch™ and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Top: Eureka Timberline 2 tent with fly attached.
Bottom: Eureka Timberline 2 tent.

The Eureka Timberline 2 Tent must be the most popular tent in the world. Used by Boy Scouts for more years than I can remember, it is rugged enough take the abuse of teenage boys. You can't ask for a better endorsement than that. The classic A-frame construction with the addition of the fly, makes it a roomy and weather proof tent for the short term camper. It is quick and easy to set-up, having shock cord laced 1/2 inch aluminum frame, ring and pin attachments, and clips.

The A-frame tent is covered by a polyester fly. Waterproof, the fly is your weather proofing and first line of defense. The floor consists of a coated nylon "tub" that keeps the seams well above ground level for protection from the elements.The walls of the tent are a breathable, fire retardant nylon which is resistant to anything weatherwise. It has a front door, and two windows, one in the front door and the other on the back wall. Both the windows are covered with a fine mesh that will keep the no-see-ums, mosquitoes, and other flying pests, out of the tent. The fly also extends front and back in hood like fashion, to allow the windows to be opened and permit good ventilation while protecting from the elements.

Here are the specifications:

• Area: 38 square feet
• Floor size: 7 feet by 5 feet, 3 inches
• Center height: 3 feet, 6 inches
• Wall fabrics: 1.9-ounce breathable nylon/1.9-ounce permeable taffeta nylon
• Floor fabrics: 1.9-ounce Taffeta nylon with 1200 mm coating
• Fly fabrics: 1.9-ounce Polyester with 1200 mm coating
• Pack size: 6 by 24 inches
• Weight: 5 pounds, 13 ounces

It's important to remember that a two person tent is actually a one person plus equipment tent with a little room to spare. Two people can fit into the two man tent, but it would be a tight squeeze with the equipment. If there are two of you that camp regularly, you would be much better off with a four man tent.

Assembly is easy. I find it best to connect the bottom of the tent to the poles, then attach the top of the tent. Now add the fly working from opposite corners. The EZ hooks are shock corded to allow easy, fast and secure connections. Finally stake out your guys and you are done. The shock corded side guy outs and fly attachments give stability & tear resistance in stormy or windy conditions.

There is also a version available, the Timberline 2XT, with a vestibule that allows you to keep muddy boots and things of that nature out of the tent, but also out of the weather. An optional vestibule and/or annex can also be added to the Timberline 2 for extra gear storage, shade or rain protection.

The only thing I would like to see is a better carry bag. Something with some belts around it to help compress the bag when everything is stored.

For those of you considering a new tent for the kids, or maybe one for yourself, the Timberline 2 would be a great choice. It is built to last, rugged, not too heavy, and suitable for extended trips.

Eureka
1-800-572-8822

Eureka Timberline 2 Tent
MSRP: $139.90
Street Price: $129.90

Blogs of Note: Rabbit Stew

© 2009 Albert A Rasch
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Sighting Down a Fence Row
Photo Courtesy of Hubert Hubert and Rabbit Stew

Folks,

Once again I have to bring to your attention another great blog from the netherworld of the Blogosphere. I recently bumped into Rabbit Stew while cruising the net late at night. Good ol' Hubert hails from the Midlands of the United Kingdom.

What I like about Hubert's Rabbit Stew is the quality of his prose.

"The rabbit ambled through the fence into the next field and disappeared from view; suddenly sleepy, I lay there in the spring sunshine - this Easter Day - put my head down on my arm and closed my eyes. Time passed."

You'll find a great outdoorsman who really enjoys not only the hunt, but the dirt beneath his soles, and the accomplishment of a shot well placed.

I highly recommend that you stop by, say howdy, and spend some time with our friend from the other side of the pond.

Best Regards,
Albert

Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan 416 Magnum Revisited

© 2009 Albert A Rasch

Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan in Ruger 416 Magnum

As many of you have heard, Robert Ruarke once said, and titled a book with, "Use Enough Gun." Oftentimes we sit around campfires and ponder the question, "What is enough gun?"

Keeping that in mind, while sailing the Internet's hazardous shoals, I've noticed a series of conversations relating to the new Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan and the 416 Ruger. There is nothing that can compare to the verbal riposte that occurs on many of today's forums. Many times it sounds like the Parliament, where Lord Holland and Holland debates propriety with Joe Remington.

Many of the arguments revolve on the need or even necessity of another 40 caliber plus cartridge. We have the 416 Rigby, Remington, Weatherby, Taylor, Hoffman, Barrett, and the odd one based on the 45-70 case the .416 Barnes. But is it fair to compare them?

Others question the business sense of issuing a proprietary cartridge. Since Jamison decided he could sue over a cartridge that he claims he designed, who can blame Ruger, Sako, Remington, or anyone else for deciding they would much rather do it themselves and on their own. To this day, I refuse to even look at Shooting Times. And that my friends, is another story. I'll stand by Ruger on this one; I wouldn't want to pay royalties on a cartridge, when the gentlemens' agreement was to use a cartridge royalty free as long as you used the inventors name.

Still others argue whether it is even worth getting since it's not a Model 70. Myself I liked the original Ruger 77s with the tang safety. Now that was a man's rifle.

As many have noted, few people shoot enough to become proficient with large bore rifles. This is very true. I've met more than a few folks with powerful medium bores that have not even used up a standard box of ammunition. The few they have fired have been fired at the range and off the bench. I suppose it is difficult to shoot accurately off hand when you "know" that every yank of the trigger is going to result in a wallop. At the range one day, it was necessary to offer the use of my Weatherby 30/06 to a fellow shooting a 338WM at the range. He was younger than I, but much better off. He had all the do-dads and equipment. But he sucked royally in the shooting department.

He couldn't hit the darn target at 100 yards for the life of him. He finally came over to me and asked me if I knew anything about rifles. He explained that he had shot six times and he wasn't hitting the target. I went over and looked his rifle over. It was a new Savage and seemed sound. The spent cartridges looked fine. I ran a patch and the bore was clean. So I asked him for three cartridges. As he handed them to me he warned me, "That rifle is powerful, it kicks like a horse." Right then I knew what was the matter.

I set it up on the bench, did a quick boresight, and looked through the scope. It was close enough that I didn't fiddle with it. I fired all three shots in quick succession, and it printed them in a 2 inch group, low and to the right. That's minute of deer as far as I am concerned. I turned the turrets to zero the rifle.

I picked up the empties and studied them. I asked him for three more rounds, and loaded two into the rifle's magazine and then palmed one of the empties, dropped it into the chamber, closed the bolt, and put the rifle on safe. I set it down on the bench and asked him to get himself ready.

He sat down, shouldered the rifle, lined up his sights, and thumbed the safety off. I moved up a bit so I could see what was happening.

He yanked, and I mean yanked, on the trigger, and by the time the pin struck the empty cartridge, the rifle must have moved six or seven inches to the right. Before he could react I pinned the rifle down on the blanket roll he was using as a rest.

I said, "Look through your scope now."

It was an eye opener for him. He was a good 12 or 16 feet to the right of the target.

In conversation I found out that it was his first rifle, he had never shot before, and he really wasn't too aware of the fundamentals of shooting. Undoing the damage done was not too difficult thanks to my Ruger 10/22 and the 30/06. When it was all said and done, he had decided that he would get a .308 in the same configuration as his Savage.

The point is that few people have the time or wherewithal to shoot enough to truly become proficient with their firearms. In order to become a great shot, you have to put thousands of rounds down range. 22 rimfire serves admirably in that capacity, and even a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun will help!

Do you need a big bore hitter? Only you can decide. Here are some of the facts.

The new Ruger 416 gives you the equivalent Rigby performance out of a twenty inch barrel instead of the twenty four.

The Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan is $1079.00. The closest DGR would be the Remington XCR in 375 H&H at $1092 and the Ruger M77 MKII Magnums in 416 Rigby at $2334.00 Both the XCR and the MKII have 24" barrels which in and of itself isn't a deal killer, but the really neat thing is the compact size of the 416 Hawkeye Alaskan. Aesthetically the Ruger MKII Magnum is a winner.

Enough people go to Alaska to hunt grizzly and brown bear, and plenty of folks go to Africa and match wits with cape buffalo. Those two destinations alone are enough to justify Ruger's decision to create the Ruger 416 Magnum.

My experience shooting the 416 was enough for me to decide to add it to my arsenal of hunting weapons. The recoil, though substantial, was easily managed by the Hogue stock along with the new improved recoil pad. Both had a lot to do with the relatively reasonable felt recoil generated by the cartridge/rifle combination.

Hunting dangerous game is little different from hunting small game, albeit that dangerous game can bite, scratch, and stomp the living right out of you. The hunter who carries a big bore rifle does so in order to make sure that he does not end up lying comfortably in a pine box, when an error in tactics or execution whipped everything into a maelstrom of discontented wildlife and people parts. If you are considering that sort of activity, get yourself a big bore.

It's good insurance.

Regards,
Albert A Rasch
The Hunt Continues...