The .45/70 is one of those cartridges that it is hard to explain why they are still around. Now, calm down! I didn’t say that I didn’t like the cartridge; I just said that it’s hard to explain its continued existence and popularity.

The .45/70 Springfield (also called .45/70 Government) was designed in 1873 by the Springfield Armory for use in the U.S. Military’s Springfield Model 1873 rifle and carbine. That’s the gun we call the Trapdoor Springfield. The original army load consisted of a 405 gr lead bullet over 70 grains of black powder, for about 1600fps. It’s what we fought the Indian Wars with and everything else until almost 1900 when the .30/40 Krag was adopted. Neat old guns and neat old history.

The amazing thing is that the .45/70 cartridge caught on and has maintained an impressive popularity as a sporting round. You still see guns chambered for the cartridge in the hunting fields from Texas to Alaska. In fact, just last summer, I watched my friend and colleague Richard Mann dispatch a pretty darned big African cape buffalo with a Marlin levergun that was so chambered.

Nowadays, you can get good, stout rifles chambered in .45/70, like the Marlin Guide Gun and the Ruger #1. You can also get factory-equivalent ammo that will do well for deer hunting, or you get some scalding-hot stuff the likes of which Richard Mann delivered to his cape buffalo. Most ammunition companies offer several loadings for the .45/70 cartridge.

As a friend of mine likes to say, age is only a number. Forget that the .45/70 was developed in 1873. Forget that it has a large-capacity case because it was designed for black powder. Forget that there are a number of modern cartridges that will outshoot it. The .45/70 is still around because it works, it’s powerful, it’s accurate, and folks have learned that they can depend in its performance.

Step aside, Energizer Bunny, the .45/70 is still going…

Making my living as a gun writer, it is my privilege to hunt with a broad assortment of rifles. I’ve taken game with just about every sort of rifle that is manufactured, including those nasty “black” rifles. However, when left to my own devices, I prefer to hunt with a rifle that deserves a place right alongside the relatively few rifles that have come to be known as classics. Naturally, I’m talking about the Ruger #1.

Back in 1966, American hunters were enamored with such arms as the Winchester Model 70, the Remington Mod. 700, and the Weatherby MK V. So, naturally, Bill Ruger decided it was just the right time to spring a single shot on the hunting crowd. Folks must have surely wondered what he was smoking.

Quite a student of world firearms, Bill Ruger modeled his #1 after the historic Farquharson single shot which incorporated a hammerless falling-block action. Such rifles were popular in Europe as stalking rifles and in Africa, where hunters like Frederick Courteney Selous used them on all manner of big game. Ruger’s genius is evident in the fact that the #1 rifle is still in production, some 50 years later, and as popular as ever.

My own favorite #1′s are those with iron sights (though I always scope them) and the schnabel forend, designated #1A, #1H, and #1S. I got my first one, a #1A in .270 Winchester, back in the 1970′s, and later presented it to my son. Currently, I hunt with a #1A in 7×57, a #1H in .375 H&H, and have recently acquired a #1H in .45/70.

I suppose that hunting with single-shot rifles is not for everyone, nor should it be. But I enjoy the challenge of knowing that my first shot needs to be a good one. I like the trim lines of the #1, the nice balance of the rifle, and its ruggedness.

To date, all sorts of game has fallen to one or the other of my #1′s. Whitetail deer, mule deer, hogs, Rio Grande turkey, aoudad, and all sorts of exotic game have fallen in this country. In addition, my #1 in .375 has accounted for 11 head of buffalo, Australian & African, as well as wild ox. If the red gods are willing, I’ll have another go at cape buffalo and nyala, in Mozambique, next summer.

I own and shoot quite a few Ruger guns. They are a lot of gun for the money and hell for stout. But, if I could have just one more visit with Bill Ruger Sr., I would thank him for the #1. It’s a classic American rifle.

Asking Dave Scovill about Colt Single Actions is a lot like asking Chet Atkins about guitars. You’d better have brought a pen and notebook with you so you can record all the information accurately. The good news is that Dave has just published a new book on the subject, “Colt’s Single Action Army: Loading and Shooting the Peacemaker”, published by Wolfe Publishing Co.

In this new work, Scovill covers important information about the history of cartridges that the Colt was chambered for and bullet design and powders that work. In addition, you’ll find out about a number of calibers that you probably didn’t know the old Colt was offered in, like .476 Ely and .455 Colt.

Years ago, Dave gave me one of my first regular-paying writing gigs when he tagged me to do the handgun column for Handloader Magazine. That was a great and fun relationship and we’ve been friends ever since. I would point out, however, that it is difficult to work for an editor that knows more than you do. Keeps one on one’s toes, you might say.

In addition, Dave and I share an appreciation for what the late Skeeter Skelton did for the grand old .44 Special cartridge. When you get your copy of this great new book, you can read all about it. Aside from some pretty thorough Colt SAA history, this book is worth the cost just for the reloading data. Over the years, Dave Scovill has passed on little handgun & reloading tips to me that, in every case, worked out just like he said they would. I am so pleased to see Scovill share his wealth of knowledge with us in this new publication.

He’s a man who knows his Colts. But, please don’t tell him that I was bragging on him.

The Liberty Cross from Crossbreed
A few months back, we announced the introduction of the Liberty Cross holster that I had a hand in the design of. This was done at the request of the late Mark Craighead, founder of Crossbreed Holsters. This is a limited edition of a concealment holster for the Colt SAA, and its copies, all of which were numbered and signed by me.

We are pleased with the interest that has been shown in the rigs and want you to know that there are a few left. This is an excellent concealment holster for those who favor the single action and is based on the reliable Liberty holster that was originally designed by Bruce Nelson. To get one of the Liberty Cross holsters, contact Trent Cooper at Crossbreed Holsters, www.crossbreedholsters.com.

Back in the 1970s Col. Jeff Cooper (1920-2006) realized that defensive handgun training was sadly lacking. Being a student of defensive firearms, Cooper began to experiment with shooting techniques and observe the techniques of others who had “seen the elephant,” as the old-time gunfighters used to say. In the mid-1970s Cooper founded Gunsite Academy, in northern Arizona, and began to teach the Modern Technique of the Pistol.

The Modern Technique of the Pistol is based upon five elements that, when mastered, greatly increase the individual’s ability to survive a violent criminal attack.

LARGE CALIBER PISTOL Cooper strongly suggested that a person should carry the largest caliber handgun that he could shoot quickly and accurately. Cooper always preferred the 1911, in .45 ACP, for this reason. He didn’t think it was perfect, but he thought it was the best we had. It remains so today.

THE WEAVER STANCE The Weaver Stance combines an athletic body position with an isometric two-hand grip on the pistol. This combination allows one to move quickly and to manage recoil in such a way that repeat shots can be delivered accurately and quickly.

THE PRESENTATION Cooper taught a pistol presentation that did away with wasted movement and allowed a shooter to get on target quickly and accurately.

THE FLASH SIGHT PICTURE Those who are uninformed, or haven’t been there, say a person will look at the threat and cannot be expected to focus on his front sight during a deadly encounter. A large number of Gunsite graduates, however, have done that very thing during gunfights. More importantly, they won those gunfights.

THE SURPRISE BREAK Cooper taught us that we could apply smooth, gradual pressure to the trigger even in a fight for our lives. Cooper’s trigger press is the same technique used by bullseye target shooters. It is, however, compressed for time, so that the shot is delivered quickly and accurately with the sights dead on target.

Sadly, we live in a time when there are a lot of folks hanging their shingle out and claiming to be defensive shooting instructors. Many of them clearly don’t have the background or experience to talk about how one goes about winning a gunfight. Unfortunately, many of them just want to sell you stuff or impress you with how cool they think they are.

Your options are really quite clear… sign up with the latest gunfight guru (who hasn’t been in a fight of any kind since the 3^rd grade on the school playground) or call Gunsite and book a pistol class. The difference is that Gunsite will teach you how to fight, how to fight effectively, and how to fight smart.

Okay, I know I haven’t been as faithful about posting new articles as I should be. And it is time you meet the reason for my tardiness. Her name is Annie Oakley Wilson and she is a mini Dachshund, about 4 months old. Annie came to live at my house on June 4^th and has quickly turned into part of the family and quite a character.

Il Ling New has a mini Dachshund, Peabody, who is just a really special dog and has caused me to develop a high regard for the breed. When I got the chance to bring Annie home, I jumped at it. And, let me tell you, these Dachshunds are smart little critters. Annie already comes when her name is called and has learned to sit on command. As time goes by, she’ll be learning more basic obedience skills. And she might even get entered in some of those Dachshund races that they hold out in California. Quien sabe?

However, in gun news, I spent this past week at Gunsite working with Richard Mann. Richard, Marshal Halloway, and I, contracted with Mossberg, Trijicon, and Winchester Ammunition, to do a series of hunting rifle tips. As soon as Marshal, our camera guy & director, gets these videos edited, you will be able to see them on our various web sites and probably Facebook, as well.

Also, towards the end of September, Mr. Mann and I will be hunting with a new .308 rifle from Mossberg. Hunting moose and black bear in Newfoundland, that is. And, shortly thereafter, you’ll get a full report from us in magazine articles and on our web sites.

So that’s what I’ve been up to. And, now that Annie Oakley is becoming more acclimated to her new home, I’ll make every effort to be a bit more regular with articles.

One of the great things about being a gun writer is that you never know what the day’s mail will bring. For instance, I just recently got a great book from Jim Muschett at Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. It is titled, Colt: The Revolver of the American West, and is written by Jeffrey Richardson.

Richardson is the Gamble Curator of Western History at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles. In order to celebrate the history of Colt firearms, Richardson has selected the museum’s 100 most important examples to document and celebrate the history of Samuel Colt’s revolutionary invention.

Along with some early examples of the Colt Patterson and Colt Walker, you’ll see and read about Colt Single Action Army, serial #1, Wild Bill’s Colt Navy, and Wes Hardin’s 1876 Colt Double Action. Not to be outdone, Richardson also includes guns used by Ken Maynard, Gene Autry, and Clayton Moore (the one and only Lone Ranger).

Unlike a lot of “coffee table” books, Colt: The Revolver of the American West includes a lot of information about the 100 guns chosen and includes great professional photographs. The book is an extremely good blend of entertainment as well as in-depth research.

Order your copy from your local book store or online book dealer. I’d write more about Colt: The Revolver of the American West, but I am going to pour another cup of coffee and look at some more of the cool sixguns that this book depicts.

As I write this I am sitting in the Mount Peyton Outfitters lodge near Bishop’s Falls, Newfoundland. I’ve got a moose hanging in the game shed and I’m taking it easy and watching it rain. Our hunt was made possible by Mossberg Firearms and our friend Linda Powell. The disreputable gun writers on this endeavor include myself, Richard Mann, and David Draper. Do I really need to add that we’re having a ball?

Newfoundland, a large island, is the eastern-most province in Canada and was primarily settled by good Irish folks who keep their fine manners and traditions alive. The land is thick with moose, caribou, and black bear, altogether a sportsman’s paradise. Thick woods give way to open meadows that are really wet bogs. Did I mention that you really need to wear waterproof boots? And good rain gear comes in handy, too.

Yesterday, Joel Thompson, my guide, and I, were working the woods and trying to collect me a moose. Stopping in a neck of timber, Joel started giving out a cow call and we shortly heard a bull moose answering. He was clearly coming closer. When the young bull stepped out, he was a mere 15 yards away from us (did I mention that Joel is a helluva moose caller?). My Mossberg MVP Predator rifle, in .308 Winchester, was up to the task. My first shot popped the moose on the point of his right shoulder. He quickly spun and ran into the open where my second shot quartered through his body and put him on the ground.

As you can see from the photo, this moose is a long way from the Boone & Crockett #1 trophy. Not a problem, he’s a trophy for me. I’ve never hunted moose before, was thrilled to see one called in, and thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience.

Hunting is more than the shot that you make and the animal that you kill. It is also about hunting with good friends, a good camp, and great camp food. My trip to Newfoundland and the Mt. Peyton Outfitters camp, delivered it all in spades.

I’d write more, but the local radio station is playing “The Wild Colonial Boy” and I plan to sing along. God bless the fine folks in Newfoundland!

On our recent moose hunt, I flew to Philadelphia and then on to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The next day, we flew on into Newfoundland and landed at Gander. As often happens on an out-of-country hunting trip, my bags stayed in Philadelphia and I arrived in hunting camp without any of my gear. Linda Powell had brought the rifle, but I had no ammo and no hunting clothes.

Tony Stone outfitted me with hunting clothes and some 150gr. Winchester E-Tip .308 ammunition. So, naturally, I did what you folks would do…I went hunting. My bag arrived two days later, without the ammo (it was seized by Canadian Customs since I wasn’t there to declare it). The world is ever so much safer because my three boxes of Barnes .308 cartridges are out of circulation!

At any rate, the Winchester E-Tip ammo (their monolithic solid with a polymer tip) performed quite well on my moose. The bullet expanded perfectly and I really didn’t need the second shot. Of course, I’m not apologizing because the moose was still on his feet (though a bit shaky) and I ran the bolt out of habit and gave him that second shot.

Some may wonder about the .308 as a moose cartridge, but I’ve got to tell you that it performed quite well on my moose and David Draper‘s as well. More importantly, the cartridge is quite popular among Canadian hunters. Just about all of our guides told me that this was the cartridge that they used for moose hunting. The day of the .303 British in Canada is slowly giving way to the .308.

The point is that you really don’t need one of those hard-kicking magnums to collect your annual moose meat. Standard rifle cartridges will do the job quite nicely when you bother to put the bullet where it needs to go. The Mossberg MVP series of rifles? Those are moderately-priced rifles that are tough enough for the northern hunt and fully capable of getting the job done.

I’ve just spent several days hunting the wild pheasant of North Dakota with the Ruger Red Label shotgun. In the past two years, since 2011, Ruger has spent quite a bit of time revising their manufacturing techniques for this fine gun. Primarily, they redesigned the receiver from a two-piece unit, that has to be fitted together in final production, to a one-piece outfit with the same traditional good looks and function.

The shotgun that I used was a 20 gauge with 30-inch, vent rib barrels and Briley choke tubes. The stock dimensions are the same and they still come with the good looking walnut stocks. The good news for consumers is that, due to streamlined production methods, the new Red Label will be offered at a discount from the old model. Further good news is that this is the same solid, good shooting shotgun that Ruger has become famous for. I might also mention that the new Red Label is currently being shipped only in 12 gauge. However, the 20 gauge should follow very soon.

Too often, “new technology” means that a company has cheapened their product. After wringing out this new version of the Red Label, however, I can assure you that this is not the case with this shotgun. It is still a whole lot of gun for the money, just as it has always been.

Ken Jorgensen and I made a wide swing out across the prairie and came in on a high bank above a dry creek bed. Below us, in the creek bottom, was a pretty good sized corn field. As we hid behind bushes and tried to stay motionless, we could see our fellow hunters working the corn field and heading in our direction. Phil Johnson and Randy Hansen’s dogs were working out ahead.

We could occasionally see pheasant rise up out of the corn and hear the guns pop when the bird was a rooster. Ken and I were getting tense from the excitement and the waiting. But soon, when the birds hit the end of the field by the creek, it would be our turn. And, slowly, the boys kept coming our way.

Actually, the boys got right down to the very end of the field and I was afraid that the pheasant had gotten away, or never were there in the first place. That’s when all hell broke loose!

Within the next five minutes, some 30 birds came blowing out of the last of the corn and flew right over our heads. Most of them were hens, but there were a respectable number of roosters in the bunch, too. I tell you, our shotgun barrels got warm as we shot, reloaded, and shot again. And I will tell you right now that it is none of your damn business just how many birds Ken and I missed. Some things are just better kept private.

This was the kind of pheasant hunting we got into for three days near Regent and Bismarck, North Dakota. And this was in a year when early winter storms were supposed to have decimated the Dakota pheasant crop. Well, don’t you believe it.

We were lucky to be hunting with Randy Hansen, of the Cannonball Company, an outfitting organization located in Regent, North Dakota. The same winter storm that everyone was cussing had kept the farmers out of their fields and their corn had not been harvested. And, my friends, that is where the birds were!

Altogether it was a great hunt. And what a grand way to test out the new Ruger Red Label shotgun that was just announced last week. You can quote me, it is a great shotgun and that was a grand hunt!

Just about everyone knows that red dot sights have become quite popular for action shooting. In fact, quite a few are even putting red dots on their defensive firearms. So, if they work well for these shooting disciplines, why won’t they work in the hunting field as well?

This was the question that occurred to me as I accepted an invitation to join a handgun hunt sponsored by Ruger, Trijicon, and Mossy Oak, at the Ranger Creek Ranch, just west of Seymour, Texas. In preparation for this hunt, I mounted a Trijicon RMO7 sight in a Ruger Bisley Hunter, in .44 Magnum. Well, I mounted the sight and then Eddie Stevenson remounted it properly. I didn’t say I was an expert with red dot sights, only that I was interested!

Unfortunately, the weather and other factors didn’t produce a whitetail buck for me to shoot. However, I did do a lot of target practice with the Trijicon/Ruger set up. With just a bit of practice, the Trijicon’s red dot was quick to acquire. On this model, the size of the red dot cannot be reduced. However, the intensity of the red dot can be reduced to deal with low-light situations.

We had a great time at Ranger Creek Ranch, even though I didn’t fire a shot at a game animal. However, I did manage to get permission to bring the Trijicon/Ruger outfit home with me so that I can use it on some other Texas deer hunts that I’ve got coming up. I do know that the Trijicon sight is rugged and it is accurate.

Time will only tell if I am sold on the idea of using red dots for hunting, but I intend to give it a good workout and test. Experiencing new ideas and technology is one of the things that I like best about this job. While I tend to be a traditionalist, there is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping up with the new stuff in our industry. To borrow a phrase from Jim Shepherd, “I’ll keep you posted.”

On the night of July 14, 1881, Pat Garrett killed Henry McCarty (alias Billy the Kid) in Pete Maxwell’s bedroom at old Fort Sumner, in New Mexico Territory. Over the years, more legends have cropped up over this one incident than all the rest of Southwest history put together. Some claim that a deal had been struck allowing the real Billy the Kid to escape. Others blast Garrett because, according to them, he didn’t give the Kid a fair chance, whatever that means. So let’s try to put this western episode in the proper perspective.

Following that shooting there was never an authenticated sighting of Billy the Kid again. Years later, a Texas resident, Brushy Bill Roberts, claimed to be the Kid. However, upon public examination, he failed to convince the public of that claim. And, remember, this was during the time that many of the New Mexico frontiersmen were still alive, men who had actually known the Kid.

An even more compelling argument can be made for the Kid’s actual death. During his lifetime, the Kid had killed at least three men and had been present and shooting when several other men were killed by the Kid and his friends (though no one knows if Billy fired the killing shots). The last two men to fall under the Kid’s gun were deputies of Sheriff Pat Garrett.

Now, imagine that two of your co-workers have just been murdered during a jail break. What on earth would make someone want to make a deal to let their killer go free? In fact, Garrett had every reason to want to make sure that their killer was brought to hand.

Finally, some argue that the Kid never had a chance to fire his handgun, being shot in the dark and by surprise. Others claim that the Kid only had a knife that he was going to use to cut some meat from a hanging beef carcass. Still others say that Billy wasn’t holding a weapon of any kind when Garrett fired on him. Who cares? Billy had killed two deputy sheriffs, it was time for pay backs, and no sheriff in his right mind would have passed up the chance.

By all accounts, Billy was well liked by many New Mexico residents while Garrett was never held in very high esteem. Regardless, there is no doubt in my mind that the Kid is buried somewhere near the old fort and that he got just what he deserved.

Last Wednesday afternoon I rolled into the Jack Baggett Ranch down south of Ozona, in Crockett County. A group of us were hunting as the guests of Uberti, Burris, and Realtree. I would be hunting with a Uberti Hi-Wall rifle, in .45/70, topped by the new Burris 3×9 scope. Our ammunition was the Hornady LEVERevolution 325 gr ammo. That combination ought to be able to account for just about any sort of Texas deer that ever wandered through the mesquite.

This being my old stomping grounds, I wisely told the boys that a storm was coming in on Thursday evening, we call it a Blue Norther, and that Thursday would be an excellent day for hunting. Deer will nearly always get out and feed heavily ahead of a storm.

Of course, I was wrong. I don’t think that anyone killed a deer on Thursday. And, by Thursday evening, the sleet and snow were beginning to fall. Now, I don’t know why Texas storms are so miserable, after all, the temps usually only get down into the 20′s. It may just be the humidity that comes in off of the Gulf of Mexico, I don’t know. But this storm was typical for Texas in that it was nasty, wet, and damn cold!

I usually don’t like to hunt from a blind, but the ranch’s box blinds sure did sound like a good idea on this hunt. My hunting partner, Joe Coogan, sure didn’t argue with me, either. Friday morning, I managed to brave the cold and wet long enough to put a Hornady LEVERevolution bullet into an 11-point buck at not more than 80 yards. You could hear the bullet slap and see the buck stagger before he ran into the cedars. This was gonna be a piece of cake and I was fixing to get back to the lodge and get a cup of good hot coffee.

Well, I was wrong again. Tony The Guide and I sauntered over to the place where my buck had been standing. No blood. We eased into the cedars, along the trail the buck had taken. No blood. We even did tight circles, looking for sign. No blood.

After about an hour of unsuccessful searching, we headed back to the lodge to to get the tracking dog. I was upset. Tony The Guide was upset. Long story short, the dog went right to the deer carcass even though there never was a blood trail. That big .45/70 slug had punched a caliber-size hole going in and a caliber-size hole coming out. Someone forgot to tell the buck that he was dead.

Greg Badgett (www.doubleb-outfitters.com) has the hunting concession on this ranch. And let me tell you, he knows how to put on a first-class Texas hunt. He manages the game properly and he and his good guide staff know how to put a hunter on his buck. Just as important, the lodge is clean and comfortable. Even more important, Greg’s parents, sister, and wife, handle the kitchen chores to perfection. If you hunt with these folks and don’t gain weight, you need to see your doctor right away.

Next time I will tell you about the Laurel & Hardy episode when Joe Coogan shot his buck.

So here we are, sitting in a blind on the Jack Baggett Ranch, south of Ozona. There’s me, Joe Coogan, and Tony The Guide. The blind is a nice one, but it’s built for two hunters. It was a little crowded. Coogan and I don’t care for hunting from a blind, but an icy rain was falling and it was colder than hell! A relatively warm and very dry deer blind did not seem nearly so bad.

It was late in the evening, starting to get dark and colder, so Tony The Guide suggested that he go get the truck and we repair to the lodge to check out the hot coffee situation. Naturally, about the time Tony The Guide started back with the truck, here came a really nice whitetail buck. Since mine was already hanging, this was Coogan’s turn to put some venison on the ground.

Naturally, just about the time Coogan was ready to make his shot, the buck saw the truck and ran to a nearby rocky draw. With just his head and neck showing above the edge of the draw, Joe no longer had a shot and the deer was too far to the right for Joe to get his sights on him.

Seeing our situation, Tony The Guide just drove on around and went back the way he had come. And, wouldn’t you know it, that sucked this big buck right up out of the draw. Now, all Coogan had to do was move to his left and try to bring his rifle to bear.

It sort of became a game of musical chairs, except that the foul language was unusual to that refined children’s game. First, I folded up Tony The Guide’s chair and moved it out of Joe’s way. Still not enough room. More foul language. Then I scooted my chair as far to the left as I could. Still not enough room. More foul language.

Finally, Coogan was contorted like a yoga advocate on rock cocaine and damned near in my lap. As you might have guessed, since this is not Joe Coogan’s first rodeo, he made a perfect shoulder shot at about 80 yards. The buck went about four feet… straight down.

In retrospect, I am glad that Joe never quite made it into my lap. I’m glad that we had both bathed recently. And I am forever grateful that we didn’t have a camera crew present!

Up until now I have never been an advocate for a specific dog breed. And, while I know that there are a lot of good breeds and plain old mutts out there, I have to toot the horn a little bit for the Dachshund.

Annie came to live at my house back in June, when she was barely two months old. What a character! She is smart, tough, and just ain’t afraid of nothing. You ought to see her bow up when the cows get too close to the yard fence. And, back during the summer, before I got the fence fixed, she took off for four days and was lost out in the large pastures that border my place. Four days with the coyotes, rattlesnakes, and other critters that eat or kill puppies. She came home none the worse for wear, although, now, she keeps me in sight at all times.

Just to maintain the West Texas image, and to make her less appealing to thieves, I had the vet freeze-brand her while she was conked out getting spayed. As you can see, the freeze brand is just about haired out. I thought about swallow-forking an ear, or at least getting a yellow ear tag, but decided that would be a bit too much.

In her immediate future will be some sessions to teach her a few tricks and also break her to gunfire. I suspect she has just the right attitude to make a great little rabbit hound. One thing’s for sure, Dachshunds are as good in the field as they are in the house being companions.

Annie is my Merry Christmas present to myself. Oh, and by the way, I sure hope that you folks all have a Merry Christmas and a bang-up New Year!

No American frontiersman is more closely associated with the fighting knife than Jim Bowie of Louisiana. Yet, no one can find a single instance where Jim Bowie wrote about the fighting knife, let alone ever described the famous knife that bears his name.

Bowie became connected, in legend, with the Bowie Knife in the 1820′s, when he fought in the famous Sandbar Fight in Louisiana. Wounded and down on his back, Bowie took a thrust from an enemy’s sword cane and then disemboweled the rascal with a knife. One of the legends surrounding Bowie is that the knife he used that day was borrowed from his brother Rezin. Further, some time after the fight, he returned the knife to Rezin and it was later lost by a family member.

In fact, there is good reason to believe that Rezin Bowie was more of a knife enthusiast than Jim was. Throughout his life, Rezin had various cutlers build knives for him. He even gave them away as gifts to special friends. My guess, and it is only a guess, is that the design of the knife was improved, or modified, as Rezin had different ones built.

The knife shown is called the Searles Bowie and is a quality reproduction available from Uberti USA. Daniel Searles was a well-known cutler from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and he designed this knife at the request of Rezin Bowie. The best known actual Searles bowie is the one on display at the Alamo. It was a gift from Rezin to a friend.

The most popular version of the Bowie knife are the clip-pointed models that were first marketed by Sheffield of England following Jim Bowie’s death. While these are excellent knives, they are probably not what Jim Bowie used, but a later design. Some folks who saw Jim Bowie’s actual knife, or knives (there could have been several of them), say it looked like a bit like a butcher knife.

We’ll probably never know what the original bowie looked like. Nor will we likely ever know what happened to the knife that Bowie used at the Alamo. However, for my money, I will always think that the Searles Bowie was it. As usual, when we study history, more questions than facts arise.

Just a few days ago another 1911 arrived at my door. This one from the good folks at Colt Firearms. It is their current production Series 70 Government Model, in .45 ACP.

To say that I am glad to see Colt producing the Series 70 guns is an understatement. I am not a fan of the firing-pin safeties that are being incorporated in many of the new 1911′s and this gun simply doesn’t have one. Years of service have shown us that the 1911 doesn’t need such a safety. And, in fact, it is just another moving part that could, possibly, go wrong.

But the current Series 70 guns are a bit different from the originals. The first Series 70 guns had a collet barrel bushing that was designed to lock the barrel up tighter and improve the pistol’s accuracy. Unfortunately, there were also reports of the collets breaking and when they did it just about took a gunsmith to take the gun apart and replace the bushing. The other fault of the original Series 70 guns were the small military sights. I am pleased to report that the new Series 70 Colts have a solid, conventional barrel bushing and high-visibility fixed sights.

In addition, this pistol has a very nice trigger. I don’t have a trigger-pull gauge, but I would say that this one breaks at about 3 ½ pounds. And it breaks clean. I have to say that it is one of the nicest triggers that I’ve seen on a production 1911, of any kind, in recent times.

I also like the fact that the Colt Series 70 has a short trigger and an arched mainspring housing. This is what I grew up with and am most used to. Of course, the nice thing about a 1911 is that, if you don’t like some of the parts, you can always change them out.

The stocks, by the way did not come from Colt. They are smooth elkhorn stocks, with the Colt medallion, from Grashorns Gun Works. I got these at the same time that I got the Dall sheep stocks for my lightweight .38 Super.

Initial testing indicates that this is a reliable, no-nonsense 1911. And I am sure looking forward to putting many more rounds downrange with it. In fact, this one will probably not go back to Colt. I’m pretty sure it’s found a home in Texas.

Everyone who carries a defensive handgun needs professional training. You wouldn’t buy an airplane and expect to be able to fly it without training. Nor would the fact that you own a piano make you a great musician. We need training to teach us how to do things well and to do things right. In addition, professional training creates a lot of shortcuts in the learning process. Through a good instructor you get to learn from the mistakes that others have made and avoid them completely.

But please don’t think that I am in favor of government mandated training. The government will just screw that up like they screw up everything else. Gunsite is simply the place to go. Gunsite was founded by Col. Jeff Cooper back in the 70′s. It is the oldest defensive training school for defensive shooters and, in my opinion and that of others, it is absolutely the best.

Gunsite’s basic pistol class, the #250, is a week long and that week is worth several years of trying to figure stuff out on your own. Buz Mills, the current owner of Gunsite, is dedicated to keeping alive the tradition and training knowledge that Col. Cooper started. In addition, he maintains a friendly, helpful, and safe, environment where folks can learn useful, life-saving defensive skills. Other schools may teach you how to shoot. Gunsite teaches you how to fight and how to save lives.

One of the complaints that I hear from some readers is that such training is expensive. Maybe so. And maybe you get what you pay for. Before you whine too much about cost, sit down and tally up all of the guns, gear, and shooting paraphernalia, that you bought last year. For a fraction of that cost, you could afford a class at Gunsite. And then you would actually know how to effectively handle the guns that you own.

Once we learn how to do something, we need to learn how to do it better. You would be amazed at the number of retired lawmen and soldiers who are still taking classes at Gunsite. And I am one of them. Knowing what Gunsite has been able to teach me makes me wonder how I survived through some 30 years of packing a badge. Lucky, I guess. But I would rather bank on skill than luck. And Gunsite will give you that skill, that mindset, and that confidence, that is needed to protect yourself and your family.

Does this sound like a ringing endorsement for Gunsite? I sincerely hope so.

Dedicated to Saddlemaker to the Stars Edward Bohlin

Silver Screen Legend XVII is dedicated to legendary silversmith and leather craftsman Edward Bohlin. He was born in Sweden and came to this country as a young man to be a cowboy.

He worked on ranches in Montana and Wyoming, learning to rope and ride. He was also learning how to repair saddles, bridles and other leather goods. He eventually started building saddles and related cowboy gear and learned silversmithing to decorate the saddles and bridles that he made. As the demand for his products grew, he opened a saddle shop in Cody, WY and turned full-time attention to his craft.

Cowboy star Tom Mix saw his work and invited him to re-locate to Hollywood. Upon setting up shop in Hollywood, two of the first saddles he made were for popular Hollywood cowboy star, Buck Jones and his wife Odelle. Those saddles are now on display in the Autry National Center in Los Angeles.

Bohlin’s reputation for making quality saddles and other leather goods grew and soon he was crafting exquisite silver mounted saddles, bridles, bits, spurs and holster rigs plus a complete line of accouterments for the riders of the Silver Screen. Many of the items made in his shop are now in museums or private collections. Some of his saddles and gunbelts can still be seen today in parades such as the Rose Parade.

The Happy Trails Children’s Foundation is proud to honor Ed Bohlin this year with Silver Screen Legend XVII. This is the 17^th year the foundation, through the generosity of the renowned Colt’s Manufacturing Co. LLC of Hartford, CT, has used very special guns and holsters to raise money for abused children.

The exquisite engraving on the pistols, the custom tuning of the six-guns and the magnificent silver spots, conchas and buckle sets on the belt and holsters were provided by Conrad Anderson, Rocktree Ranch. The genuine pre-ban elephant ivory grips on the guns were hand crafted by Bob Leskovec, Precision Pro Grips, from Ivory donated by David Warther II, of Warther Carvings in Sugar Creek, OH. Jim Lockwood of Legends in Leather crafted the hand-carved and Sterling silver mounted double holster rig in the style of one of Bohlin’s parade/presentation outfits. Ron Love made and donated the prop cartridges. All of these wonderful people and companies are enduring examples of that very special American Spirit known as “the cowboy way.”

Renowned western entertainers Roy Rogers and Dale Evans spent a lifetime devoted to children and their support of children-at-risk is well documented. The Happy Trails Children’s Foundation is proud to carry on the work with abused children who were so important to Roy and Dale. However, we need your help!

As a result of our association with Roy and Dale, and the positive and wholesome family values and American Traditions they represented, the Happy Trails Children’s Foundation is the only known children’s charity in the country today that actively supports shooting sports, Second Amendment Rights and responsible gun ownership, and is in turn supported by generous contributions from shooters, collectors, organized shooting sports and the firearms industry. We are proud of this unique partnership!

Order your tickets today for this beautiful and unique museum quality one-of-a-kind cowboy collectible. Tickets are $10 each or 11 tickets for $100. The drawing will be held Saturday evening, December 13, 2014. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT TO WIN! The winner will be notified by phone. You may check our web site for the winner’s name, after the drawing.

The total proceeds of this drawing benefit the Happy Trails Children’s Foundation for abused children. The Happy Trails Children’s Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All donations are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. In accordance with postal regulations, no consideration is necessary to participate in this drawing. You may order tickets by our toll free ORDER LINE (855) 788-4440 or online. Discover, MasterCard and VISA accepted. Or you may send your check to:

Happy Trails Children’s Foundation
Silver Screen Legend XVII
10755 Apple Valley Road
Apple Valley, CA 92308
(855) 788-4440
www.happytrails.org

La Linda Crossing on the Rio Grande…southeast Brewster County.

I’m not much for watching organized sports events, even when they are super. But I figured I’d do something special yesterday and take a little road trip. The end of the road found me at the old La Linda crossing on the Rio Grande, south of Marathon. The bridge is all blocked off to keep folks from crossing.

We call it the Rio Grande (grand river) and the Mexicans call it El Rio Bravo del Norte (brave river of the north). Well, it might be brave, but it damn sure ain’t grand, I can tell you that. Anywhere else it would be called a healthy creek.

There was a time when we all, Mexicans & gringos alike, traveled back and forth across it. We’d wander over to the little villages to eat and drink cold Mexican beer. The Mexicans would come over on this side to buy groceries and get medical help. We all attended bailes, pachangas, and birthday parties. They were our friends.

Lawmen had friends on the other side, too. They kept us advised of who was smuggling, who was hiding out, and who was just generally up to no good. We understood each other. We had an arrangement.

Other than the people along the River, Americans have never understood Mexico. Our country has always looked down on our neighbors to the South and treated them like ignorant step-children (hell, the bastards can’t even speak English!). All this country knows how to do is exploit them or ignore them. And now folks are just sure that Mexico is seething with terrorists and dope dealers.

I’ve never seen a terrorist in this part of the country. But, who knows, the Sierra del Carmens might just be covered up with terrorist training camps, rocket installations, and god only knows what else. I kind of doubt it, though.

Our Government, in its infinite wisdom, has put heavy restrictions on all border crossings of any kind. But, damn, they sure screwed up my neighborhood. The Mexicans out this way used to have names and faces, but now they are just “those people who live over there.”

Damn a barricaded bridge! And damn the terrorists! And double damn the fools who don’t take the time to try to understand their neighbors!!!