OK so it is single digits outside on a weekend when you should be out doing something outdoors, ice fishing, predator hunting, rabbit hunting, etc…. What to do you ask?  Stay inside where it is warm and do a little ammunition reloading I say!  That is exactly what I did this weekend!

     I was going to do a little ice fishing and decided against it since the weather was terrible.  Below zero wind chill isn’t exactly my idea of fun!  I thought to myself I could do something productive to get ready for next deer season, so I broke out my reloading equipment and began to plow through some cartridges that I had started to prepare sometime ago.  I had two boxes of 30-06 cases with new primers already in them along with a box of 30-30 cases in the same condition. 

     I started with my 30-06 rounds first.  I broke out the trusty load charts and dug through my powder selection to see what I had and then made my selection according to what my load charts recommended.  I used a bottle of H4350 powder for my 180 grain bullets that I had purchased.  After looking at the load specs I knew which Lee dipper to choose to make my powder measurements correct. 

     After setting up my dies and doing some measuring with my calipers I began to run round after round into the press.  It didn’t take to terribly long to run 40 rounds through which made two complete boxes of new hand loaded cartridges for my deer rifle!  I can’t wait to get to the shooting range to give them a try and see what they can do.  I will be taking my chronograph to check my speeds to see where they line up to the factory Remington loads of the same grain.

     Next up was the box of 30-30 cases that needed loading.  After looking at my load charts I had to switch to the IMR 4227 powder to produce my rounds.  To me it looked like the amount of powder was a little on the small side.  So I did some checking to see what they would be in the 30-06 load chart.  I found out if I used this same powder in my 30-06 rounds that they would measure almost half of what the H 4350 powder that I used measured to.  This IMR 4227 powder was a much finer grained powder than what the H 4350 was.  I also compared the speeds on the 30-06 load chart between the two powders.  The finer IMR powder speeds were much slower than that of the H 4350 for the same caliber and grain.    This is why you MUST check your load charts when figuring out what powders to use along with how much! 

     After double checking to make sure I had the right measurements, I began to load the 30-30 rounds and within a few minutes I had a box of hand loaded rounds to take to the shooting range to test the next time out.    Hand loading ammunition can be a fun and rewarding way to spend a cold day inside when your not able to get out and play!  Not to mention it can also save you quite a bit of coin along the way!

     I finally got around to purchasing a scope and rings for my Ruger M/77 .17 HMR coyote rifle recently.  I finished mounting the scope and rings, then I headed to the range today to tear some paper!  I was pretty anxious to get out and try this rifle since I hadn’t fired a shot through it since I purchased it back in the spring.  Read the rest of this entry »

     I spent the opening day of Michigan’s waterfowl season with both of my sons and a few friends out on the water in a local state game area Saturday.  It was my youngest son’s first of what he calls “Big Boy Hunts”.  He finally gets to go out with the entire crew of men to become one of the men and partake in taking game from the field.

     All went extremely well and he even got his first bird of which everyone give him a congratulatory birage of “ataboys”!  We all took a duck or two and made our way back to the launch.  Upon arrival I was greated with a terrible surprise of a shot out window on the back of my pick up! 

     Someone, whom I will not call a hunter, found it necessary to shoot towards the parking area at what I hope was a duck and not just plain malicious destruction!  I say not a hunter because a hunter would know where his or her safe zone of fire is.  A hunter would know where the parking area is.  A hunter would know that it is dangerous to shoot towards any area where people might be congregating.  That is why I will not call this person a hunter.  I know accidents happen, but this is exactly why you don’t shoot towards an area that you don’t know what is in front of your shooting lane!

     Just think what could have happened if this had been a group of hunters standing there instead of my truck?  I might be writing a story of how a group of hunters were shot or worse yet killed because of someone’s stupidity!

     Am I mad?  Hell yes, I’m mad, but I won’t let this ruin what was one of my greatest days in the field watching my youngest boy become a man that day hanging out in the marsh with fellow hunters!  And by the way, he knows his safe zone of fire, we went over it thoroughly that morning!  Have a great hunting season and be safe out there!

To read about our entire hunt and view the photos check out my Up North Journal Hunting Blog.

 Winchester has come up with a new ammo lineup for the 2009 whitetail season.  They have come up with new bonded cartridges that teases the 3000 fps mark and in some instances reach beoyond that mark.  Check the press release below for the specs and the links for additional information as well as a video clip explaining the new offering.

Read the rest of this entry »

PRODUCT SAFETY WARNING
AND RECALL NOTICE

17 HMR AMMUNITION AND MODEL 597® 17 HMR SEMI-AUTOMATIC

DO NOT USE REMINGTON 17 HMR AMMUNITION IN SEMI-AUTOMATIC FIREARMS.

DO NOT USE THE REMINGTON MODEL 597 17 HMR SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE.

Remington has been notified by its supplier of 17 HMR ammunition that 17 HMR ammunition is not suitable for use in semi-automatic firearms. The use of this ammunition in a semi-automatic firearm could result in property damage or serious personal injury.

If you have a semi-automatic firearm chambered for 17 HMR ammunition, immediately discontinue use of Remington 17 HMR ammunition. If you have any Remington 17 HMR ammunition that you wish to return to Remington contact the Remington Consumer Service number below. Do not return the ammunition to the dealer. Remington will provide you with a $10.00 coupon for each complete box of 50 rounds of Remington branded 17 HMR ammunition you return to Remington. This coupon will be good for the purchase of any Remington ammunition at your local dealer.

In light of the ammunition manufacturer’s notice, it is very important that you immediately stop using your Remington Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle. If you own a Remington Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle and wish to return it to Remington please contact the below Remington Consumer Service Number. In return for your Remington Model 597 17 HMR synthetic stock semi-automatic rifle, Remington will provide you a coupon valued at $200.00 good for the purchase of a replacement Remington firearm. If you have a laminate stock Remington Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle, Remington will provide you a coupon valued at $250.00 good for the purchase of a replacement Remington firearm. Remington will also reimburse you for the actual postage to return your Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle to Remington.

Please allow up to 6 weeks after Remington receives your Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle or your Remington branded 17 HMR ammunition for the appropriate coupons to arrive. Instructions for redemption of the coupons will be contained on the coupon.

For any consumer questions or instructions on how to return of your Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle or your Remington branded 17 HMR ammunition, please contact the Remington Consumer Service Department at 1-800-243-9700, Prompt #3.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Safety First
Always observe the ten commandments of safe gun handling and wear approved eye and ear protection anytime you are shooting

        In the last few years there has been much ado about nothing over the fear that a new tool would destroy our outdoor heritage.  Much of what we heard was due to fear of the unknown, we tend to be afraid of what we don’t know instead of investigating and then making an informed decision or opinion on the subject.  The famous quote “we have nothing to fear, but fear itself”  stands true in this situation! Read the rest of this entry »

     Yes I’m still alive and well!  To those of you who regularly follow this blog I know is has been over a month since my last post, but I have a very good reason as to why this has happened. Read the rest of this entry »

     The Up North Journal Team has launched their new website and they invite you to stop by and check out the new digs! You can find it at the same ‘ol place: www.upnorthjournal.com you will find a new interactive video panel that will play their most current video and will eventually have the most current episode of their upcoming new video show. You will also be able to click the link to take you to the archive page of all their videos. Not only does it have the video player but it also offers an audio panel that has the most current episode of their podcast with a scrolling banner with an outline of the current show. The link below the player also takes you to an archive page of past episodes for download or playing right from the site.     At the bottom of the page you will find all the Up North Journal Pro Staff members. By clicking their photos you will be taken to each members personal bio page which will host a video of each member talking about themselves and the game they like to persue. Included on their personal bio page is all the links to their own blogs, and other internet links they are associated with such as facebook, twitter, and email address’.

     The site is not 100% completed but the important items are there, so keep looking for further updates to the site and bios on the prostaff pages. When your finished taking the tour, be sure to drop them an email and let them know what you think about the new digs!

     The Up North Journal Team has officially kicked off our crossbow review for the 2009 season.  We recieved the new 2009 Excalibur Phoenix crossbow in yesterday’s deliveries.  I was excited to get things rolling when the box arrived so I tore into it not knowing what to expect. Read the rest of this entry »

     Another year has come and gone for the UNJ crew and we now embark on year number three!  This week we cover the newest hunter in the group here in Michigan with my youngest son celebrating his 10th birthday this weekend and recieving his first hunting rifle!  We then head to the shooting range to tear some targets with the kids.  I finally get to do some much anticipated ammo reloading in this week’s episode along with Mikey covering some of his fine taxidermy tips in Mikey’s Game Bag!  Be sure to check out this week’s show and listen in for the up coming week’s activities by going to our Podcast site for the free download or you can play it directly from the site.