Learn About Firearm Suppressors (Silencers) For Hunting

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Using firearm suppressors (silencers) for hunting has become very popular over the last decade. This is probably partly due to the immense popularity of the 300 Blackout rifle cartridge, which was really the first commercially available centerfire rifle cartridge ideally suited for suppressed fire. It’s also partly due to the realization of the benefits a suppressor offers to the average shooter. They substantially reduce noise, reduce recoil, reduce muzzle flash, and in many cases increase the precision of the firearm. As popular as they have become, many shooters do not understand how they work. In addition, questions linger about the legality of their ownership, and the process required to obtain one. Read on and we’ll address them all.

Suppressors are becoming more and more popular for hunting rifles. Should you make the leap? Read on and decide if a suppressor is right for you.

How Firearm Suppressors Work

When you shoot a gun there is a tremendous amount of pressure—sometimes as high as 60,000 psi—and a lot of gas that pushes the bullet down the barrel. When the bullet exits the barrel this pressure and gas follow it, and noise is made. This noise comes from the bullet achieving supersonic flight and gas blasting from the muzzle of your gun. The more pressure and gas that’s generated, the louder the sound that’s created. The tube that is a suppressor is segmented inside with baffles. The gas exiting the muzzle is detained inside the suppressor and must negotiate these baffles before exiting. The longer the gas is contained inside the suppressor, the cooler it gets, and the slower it moves. This means that when it ultimately does escape, there’s less noise.

Suppressors contain baffles, which is what reduces the noise. They will need to be cleaned after use; the construction of some suppressors (such as the Banish shown here) makes this easy.

A supersonic 22 LR cartridge generates about 140 decibels when fired from a rifle. A 223 Remington will be about 15 percent louder. Most conventional suppressors will reduce the noise of a gunshot by around 35 decibels. Interestingly, most commercial earplugs and earmuffs only reduce the sound of a gunshot by between about 15 and 33 decibels. Subsonic ammunition, which has a velocity of less than 1130 fps, is about 20 decibels—depending on barrel length—quieter than supersonic ammunition. When you combine a suppressor with subsonic ammo you get a tremendous noise reduction.

Various firearms will have different muzzle thread patterns, so an adapter may be necessary to fit your suppressor.

Clear Advantages Of Firearm Suppressors

Aside from the recoil reduction and the sometimes-increased precision of the firearm, the advantages of shooting with a suppressor should be clear. Suppressors drastically reduce noise pollution that may cause neighbors to complain, and they offer substantial hearing protection. If you’re a new shooter, you may not be able to appreciate this. I on the other hand can. Over half a century I’ve shot way too much without proper hearing protection and have substantial hearing loss. Due to tinnitus, which can be caused by loud noises, I have a persistent ringing in my ears. It is untreatable and unpleasant.

For hunters a suppressor will reduce recoil and noise. This can help you make better shots and spook less game.

Hunting With Firearm Suppressors

One aspect of suppressor use that is not often considered is the benefit they offer hunters. Hunters rarely wear hearing protection because hearing, just like sight, is one of the senses that’s critical to hunting. A suppressor provides hunters with hearing protection without limiting their ability to hear. But that’s not the only advantage suppressors offer hunters. Suppressors also help to prevent game animals from being spooked when a shot is taken. This can be very important if you miss your first shot or if you’re shooting at multiple animals at the same time, much like you might when calling predators or hunting feral hogs.

As of now, suppressors are legal to own in 42 states and legal to be used for hunting in 40 states. Obviously, check your state and local laws regarding suppressor ownership and use for hunting because laws change. If you do choose to hunt with a suppressor it will very likely alter your point of impact; you’ll need to re-zero your rifle with the suppressor attached.

A protective sleeve is an important suppressor accessory because after firing a few rounds the suppressor becomes very hot.

Purchasing Firearm Suppressors

The Firearms Act of 1934 stipulated the registration of suppressors and instituted a $200 tax be levied when purchasing one. Suppressor ownership is not illegal, it is just controlled. To purchase one, you must fill out the BATF forms 4 and 533.20. Registering as an individual requires fingerprinting and a photograph, and paying the $200 tax. After approval you can then pick up your suppressor and you’re issued a tax stamp for it. You can use that suppressor on any gun you want but can only allow others to use it if they are in your presence. Some shooters opt to form a trust or a corporation for suppressor ownership. If this is done it makes sharing the suppressor—with trustees or employees—easier.

A nice feature of the Banish 30 suppressor is that it can easily be configured to a shorter length by the end user.

Some Necessary Hurdles

Though the process is easier now than it used to be, there are still some hurdles that must be jumped. These hurdles often discourage many shooters from getting a suppressor. That’s where Silencer Central comes in. Silencer Central is an on-line suppressor dealer but in truth they’re much more. They make the registration and approval process much easier by handling all the paperwork for you. Silencer Central even provides you with the required fingerprint cards and instructions for completing them. They can also help you set up a trust and arrange the transfer of a suppressor to that trust or to a corporation. The best thing about Silencer Central is that they will do all of this for you at no charge, if you purchase a suppressor from them.

After use, the internals of a suppressor become very dirty. The Banish 30 suppressor offers easy disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly in a matter of minutes.

Silencer Central also lets you make payments. Let’s say you purchase a $900 suppressor from Silencer Central and pay the $200 for the tax stamp. You will have to wait from between three to six months for paperwork  processing and approval. Silencer Central will let you make payments during that time. This, combined with the application assistance they offer, substantially reduces the complication and financial burden of acquiring a suppressor. And, with Silencer Central, after approval they can be shipping they can be shipping your suppressor directly to your doorstep. With more than 16 years of experience, Silencer Central has become the foremost authority when it comes to suppressor sales. It does not get any easier than this.

A Wealth Of Info

In addition to being a dealer for suppressors—one that can make the purchasing and registration process painless—the Silencer Central website and staff are a treasure trove of information about silencers. On their website you can learn all about the purchasing process, and about suppressor laws and ownership. In addition, you can learn  about the barrel threading that is necessary for using a suppressor on any firearm. If the website is not enough, you can give them a call for one-on-one guidance. Regarding barrel threading, many new firearms come with threaded barrels. However, if you want to use a suppressor on a gun with an unthreaded barrel, Silencer Central can thread your barrel for only $99.99. Silencer Central threads more than 3,000 barrels for customers every year.

This Banish 30 suppressor can work with all these cartridges; any cartridge of .30-caliber or smaller. (Left to right: 22 LR, 300 HAMR, 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 Winchester)

Banish Suppressors

In addition to offering suppressors from a variety of manufacturers, Silencer Central also manufactures their own suppressors. Their Banish line of suppressors offer direct-thread attachment and are available for everything from the 22 LR up to the 45-70. Banish suppressors are also completely user serviceable; they offer  easy disassembly, and keying and indexing for easy reassembly. Prices range from around $500 for the Banish 22 LR suppressor, to as much as $1,700 for the Banish 30 Gold Package, which comes with a full complement of accessories. Silencer Central is very confident in their Banish line of suppressors. If your Banish suppressor doesn’t significantly reduce the report and recoil of your firearm they’ll buy it back within 30 days, no questions asked.

Losing Size And Weight

I have a Banish 30 suppressor and it will work with any caliber rifle up to .308. It is nine inches long and weighs 13 ounces. However, the Banish Suppressor is unique in that it is user-adjustable to a seven-inch configuration. When shortened, the Banish loses 30 percent of its weight. This shorter length is especially handy if you’re working in confined spaces. Good examples are in a tactical environment or maybe hunting from a compact blind or shoot house. And the lighter weight is helpful if you’re going deep into the backcountry. Or you might want to eliminate the added muzzle weight suppressors add to a fast-handling or lightweight rifle.

A .30-caliber suppressor like this Banish 30 will also work with a 22 LR and still significantly reduce the noise.

I mostly use the Banish 30 suppressor on my custom Model Seven Scout Rifle. However, because it is a multi-caliber suppressor, I also frequently use it on a Springfield-Armory Waypoint chambered for the 6.5 Creedmoor. I also use it on my Wilson Combat Protector Carbine chambered for the 300 HAMR, and on a Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 in 22 LR. With the smaller calibers the amount of noise reduction is not as much. However, it is still substantial and enough to reduce the concerns of hearing damage and limit noise signature while hunting.

Should You?

With the services provided by Silencer Central, the complicated application process is no longer an excuse not to own a suppressor. Yes, suppressors are somewhat expensive, in some cases they can cost more than the gun

you might put them on. However, if you’re smart when you buy, you can get a suppressor that will be compatible with more than one firearm. Given all that, and the fact that Silencer Central allows you to make payments, there are not many valid excuses left.

The author is a firm believer in suppressors for a variety of reasons that include effective hearing protection.

Of course, I’m not saying a suppressor is right for everyone. You might like to wear double ear protection, and you might like pissing your neighbors off when you shoot. Also, you might not like how the added weight of a suppressor changes the balance and handling characteristics of your firearm. That’s fine and I understand all of that. I don’t always use a suppressor; a lot of the shooting I do is without one. However, if you wait until you need a suppressor to start the buying process, you’re going to have that three- to six-month wait. Better off to make the investment now so that you will have it when you really need it. And be able to protect your ears while hunting and avoid the demon called tinnitus.

 

The trigger is the single most important point of interface between a hunter and their rifle. It’s the lever you pull to end your hunt. The quality of that lever—and how you pull it—means everything. Before you can pull a trigger effectively, you’ll need to understand triggers and you’ll need to understand some trigger terms such as “take-up, pull weight, creep, over-travel and consistency.”

TAKE-UP
Take-up is the initial movement of a trigger. There are two types of triggers; single-stage and two-stage. Both can have take-up, but with a two-stage trigger you’ll feel some resistance—as much as half the pull weight—during take-up. Take-up on a single-stage trigger is generally very light and undesirable. A good single-stage trigger has no take-up.

PULL WEIGHT
Pull weight describes the amount of pressure needed to move the trigger. Hunters often argue about the ideal pull weight; it’s a “feel” thing. A good place to start is with a pull weight no more than half the weight of the rifle. If your field-ready hunting rifle weighs 8 pounds, half that weight—4 pounds—should be the maximum acceptable pull weight.

 

CREEP
The term “creepy” can describe mother-in-laws or weird uncles, but with triggers it deals with trigger movement after take-up. Creep is common in factory triggers and is why many hunters opt for a trigger job or an aftermarket trigger such as a Timney. A good trigger is not creepy.

OVER-TRAVEL
Over-travel is the movement of the trigger after the sear has been released. Very few triggers have no over-travel, but a good trigger will have none or an almost imperceivable amount. Over-travel is important because the movement of your finger on the trigger, after the sear has been released, can move the rifle before the bullet exists the barrel. Combine lots of over travel with a heavy pull weight and a miss is what you get.

CONSISTENCY
John Vehr at Timney Triggers says: “Just like with people, you need to build a relationship with your trigger.” It’s nearly impossible to build a trusting relationship with a person who is unpredictable … and the same goes with a trigger. A good trigger pulls the same way every time.

MASTERING TRIGGER PULL
Many say that if you pull a trigger correctly you should be surprised when the rifle fires. This is both good and bad advice. The launching of a bullet at a wild and majestic animal shouldn’t be a surprise to the hunter; it should be a calculated event exercised with extreme precision.

The “surprise-break” adage comes from firearms instructors trying to teach shooters how to pull triggers. Shooters are slaves to their brains, which tell them there is going to be a hard jolt and a loud noise when the trigger is pulled. The result is a flinch or a jerk that results in a miss. To circumvent this flinch or jerk, the surprise-break technique was developed. If you continually apply more and more pressure to a trigger until it finally breaks, you should be somewhat surprised when you hear the bang and feel the pounding on your shoulder.

Two things can make this surprise go away. The first is a good trigger that responds consistently and the second is practice. You’ll need to pull a trigger hundreds if not thousands of times to learn it. Dry-fire practice counts, too; you don’t have to fire the rifle every time you pull the trigger to get the training benefit. Just like scratching an inch or picking your nose, the first few times you tried it you were careful and learning—now both feel like second nature. Once you learn your trigger, your shooting during practice and while hunting will improve substantially.

I have a lot of rifles. Some are very nice, some are average and some are just knock-around beaters. Some are bolt-actions, some are lever-actions and some are semiautos. They’re all used for a lot of different things—from recreational shooting to hunting and even protection. However, they all have one thing in common: They all have good triggers.

Specialized calibers. Ultralight and versatile designs. Whatever your quarry, the newest hunting rifles and shotguns are designed to increase both your in-the-field success and shooting enjoyment.

 

Along with a renewed sense of freedom for gun owners—delivered by the National Rifle Association’s endorsed presidential candidate—we have a plethora of new rifles and shotguns to drool over for 2017. Specialization is the name of the game this year, with several interesting introductions targeting specific pursuits. If you’re a hunting gun lover, something in this list of new offerings is bound to get your attention.

CZ 455 American Stainless Synthetic .22. CZ is offering their first stainless rimfire rifle. The 455 American Stainless Synthetic is meant to be a hardy, long-lived rifle that can be passed down from father to son, and on to grandson or daughter. With the same swappable barrel system as all of CZ’s 455 rifles, both barrel and action are finished in a matte bead blast stainless. Barrel length is 20.5 inches and the bolt and bolt handle are finished in a hardy black nitride. These rifles are available in .22 LR, .17 HMR, and .22 Mag. MSRP: $434-$451.

Mossberg Patriot Revere. Mossberg has elevated its popular and proven Patriot series of classic bolt-action rifles to a new level with the new Patriot Revere, available in five calibers (.243 Win., .308 Win., .270 Win., .30-06 Sprg. and .300 Win. Mag.) and the highly-desirable 6.5mm Creedmoor. The handsomely-appointed Patriot Revere features semi-fancy European walnut stocks; rosewood and maple accents; 24-inch barrel lengths; and complementing blued metal finishes. The Patriot series is based on Mossberg’s proven twin-lug, push-feed machined-steel action which is fed from a lightweight polymer, flush box magazine with four (.300 Win. Mag. only) or five-round total capacity. The standard-contour, free-floating barrels are constructed of carbon steel and feature recessed crowns. Every Patriot rifle also features Mossberg’s patented LBA (Lightning Bolt Action) Adjustable Trigger System for clean, crisp trigger break and is user-adjustable from 2 to 7 pounds.

Henry Big Boy Steel & Big Boy Steel Carbine in .327 Federal. Since the introduction of the .327 Federal Magnum revolver cartridge in 2008, shooters have been screaming for a lever-action rifle as a companion to this versatile and powerful round. For 2017, Henry Rifles—America’s leading manufacturer of lever action rifles—has stepped up. They are now offering their Big Boy Steel and Big Boy Steel Carbine chambered in .327 Federal. Like all of the .327 Federal revolvers out there, these new rifles from Henry can also chamber and fire .32 H&R Mag. ammunition. Available with either a 20- or 16.5-inch (Carbine) barrel, these rifles are ideal for small-game hunting and will even work for deer at modest ranges. Suggested price: $850.

Howa Kuiu Rifles. The Kuiu rifles from Howa are built on their legendary 1500 action and are available in a variety of the most popular hunting calibers. They’re fitted with 20-inch lightweight, 22-inch standard, or 24-inch magnum contour barrels. All metal work is finished in a gunmetal grey Cerakote and the barreled action is pillar bedded in a Hogue Overmold stock. These rifles also come standard with a HACT trigger, three-position safety, and sling swivel studs. Regardless of your predator, varmint, or big game hunting needs, one of these should be ideal and they are eye catching too. MSRP: $782-$811.

Remington 700 AWR (American Wilderness Rifle). Remington has added a new rifle to its model 700 lineup. It’s called the 700 AWR (American Wilderness Rifle). This is a big-game rifle built for durability and accuracy. From the stainless steel barreled action, to a durable Cerakote coating, to the 5R rifling, and a durable and very rigid stock, it’s one that can weather the elements. Ideal for long jaunts into rough country where you expect to get belted with snow and freezing rain, the Remington 700 AWR should make a perfect rough-country companion. It is available in four of the most popular big-game calibers: .270 Win., .30-06 Sprg., and 7mm and .300 Win. Mag. MSRP: $ 1,150.

Savage MSR 10 Hunter & MSR 10 Long Range. Some of the real shockers for 2017 are the new MSRs (Modern Sporting Rifles) from Savage. Hunters will be mostly excited about the MSR 10 Hunter rifle. This rifle was specifically designed to address some longstanding shortcomings of MSRs built for larger cartridges like the .308 Win. This is an AR-10-sized rifle that feels and handles more like the smaller AR-15. It is built on a custom-forged upper and lower receiver, and available chamberings include the .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor. Two versions are available. The Hunter has either a 16- or 18-inch barrel and the Long Range has 20- or 22-inch barrel options. The Hunter version retails for $1,399 and the Long Range for $2,199.

Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 12-gauge. The 12-gauge Super Black Eagle 3 is available from Benelli in your choice of black synthetic, Realtree Max-5, Mossy Oak Bottom Lands, and Gore Optifade Timber. This is an inertia-driven shotgun, with a chamber that will accept 2.75-, 3-, and 3.5-inch shells. For ease of in-the-field interface it has an oversized bolt handle, bolt release, and safety. It’s shipped with a carbon-fiber rib, and get this: five choke tubes. The 12-gauge Black Eagle 3 is available with a 26- or 28-inch barrel and is suitable for just about anything you want to hunt with a shotgun. MSRP of $1,899 (black); $1,999 (camo).

CZ 628 Field Select 28 Gauge. If you’ve been looking for a light and classy pump gun to carry in the field, CZ might have just put together the ideal answer. Built on a gauge-specific 7075 aluminum action, this 28 gauge has a deep glossy blue finish and select grade Turkish walnut stock. A set of interchangeable chokes lets you tune constriction and the full forend and pistol grip makes this lithe shotgun feel like the shotgun gods have blessed you. With 28-inch barrels CZ’s new Field Select weighs a scant 5.4 pounds. MSRP: $429.

CZ Swamp Magnum Over/Under 12 gauge. Bruce Horrell, host of Gun Dog TV, shoots 3.5-inch shells, “Because they don’t make 4-inch.” For those wanting to whack waterfowl with a vengeance, CZ’s Swamp Magnum is the shotgun to do it with. The Swamp Magnum is the only over/under in their line that has an automatic safety that engages every time the action is opened, making it a little more duck-blind friendly. With polymer stocks in either black or Realtree Max5 camo, and with all metal work blacked out, this over-and-under shotgun is ready for the mud and blood duck blinds are famous for. MSRP: $929-$1,029.

Iver Johnson IJ700-18 & IJ700-26 .410 Shotguns. Two new and interesting single-shot .410 shotguns from Iver Johnson should appeal to those looking for a behind-the-seat truck gun or a shotgun sized for a youth. The IJ700-18 has an 18-inch barrel and is only 34 inches overall. It is astoundingly light at 4 pounds, 8 ounces. It comes with a blued barrel, silver receiver, walnut stock and forend, rubber buttpad, and sling swivels. Its most unique feature is that it folds in half for storage and transport. The IJ700-26 is the same gun but with a 26-inch barrel and an overall length of 41.5 inches. Suggested retail is only $175.

Tri-Star Viper Max 12-gauge Autoloader. Tri-Star says their Viper Max is the ultimate hunting shotgun. It can shoot anything from 2.75-inch target loads to 3.5-inch turkey loads. It features a two-piston system and a light and heavy load piston are included with the gun. The spare piston stores in the top of the forearm so it is always on the gun. It is available in Realtree Max 5 with a 26-, 28-, or 30-inch barrel. A black synthetic version with a 28-inch barrel is an option. A fiber-optic sight and three choke tubes are included. MSRP: $640-$730.

Whether your hunting involves rimfire rifles, big game, waterfowl or something in between, there’s a nifty new load to consider for 2017.

Federal Hunter Match .22 Long Rifle. Federal engineers have applied their ballistic brilliance to a cartridge that has been somewhat neglected during the last several years. Federal’s new 40-grain Hunter Match .22 Long Rifle load has been designed to provide true “long-range” accuracy and unmatched terminal performance out to 100 yards. With its nickel-plated case to help with flawless extraction and corrosion resistance, this load is ideal for hunters. MSRP: $7.95 for a 50-round box.

22 Nosler Added To Trophy Grade Varmint Ammunition Line. One of the most-exciting new cartridges on the planet, the 22 Nosler, is now available in the Nosler Trophy Grade Varmint Ammunition line. Nosler announced in January that the new cartridge was designed to transform any standard AR-15 into the fastest, most powerful .22 caliber available for the platform, with the least amount of modification. The new addition to Nosler’s cartridge family, which also features optimized 6.5mm, 7mm, 30 caliber and .338 magnum class rounds, delivers 30-percent more energy and is nearly 300 fps faster than a .223 Remington/5.56 NATO. Born from the idea of creating the most powerful .22 caliber centerfire cartridge that would readily function in the AR platform, the 22 Nosler’s case design takes advantage of the AR-15’s unparalleled modularity, making the conversion from a standard .223 Remington/5.56 NATO to the 22 Nosler simple, requiring only a swap of the upper to the new chambering and switching out to a 6.8 Rem SPC magazine. This effortless two-step retrofit will allow shooters to experience the 22 Nosler’s lightning fast, hard-hitting performance, while still being able to use their existing 223 bolt carrier group.

 

Hornady Black Ammunition. The biggest announcement from Hornady for 2017 is the new line of Black Ammunition. Possibly best described as ammunition that has been tailored to firearms generally considered to be within the tactical arena, this new lineup is also a great choice for hunters using bolt-action rifles and other more-traditional weaponry. Black ammunition departs from common specialized ammunition lines in that it is not bullet specific; it is best described as platform specific. The packaging is easily identifiable and the loads are intended to provide high performance for high-volume shooters. Initially, 14 offerings will be available and include loads for the 5.45×39, .223 Rem., 5.56 NATO, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, .300 Blackout, .308 Win., 7.62×39, .450 Bushmaster, and 12 gauge. Prices range from between $15 and $40 per box.

Hornady Adds To LEVERevolution Line. If you’re looking for definitive proof that specialization and diversity in factory ammunition is at an all-time high, consider the two new LEVERevolution loads from Hornady, designed to meet the needs of hunters and others who depend on lever-action rifles and revolvers. First, there is the new 190-grain FTX load for the .41 Magnum, a cartridge that has a cult-like following but has almost fallen into obsolescence. However, the real surprise is the 110-grain FTX load for the mostly forgotten, completely antique, and almost-extinct, .25-35 Winchester. Some grandpas and sentimental whitetail hunters will really be happy with the latter because it ups the performance of their old deer getter. Suggested retail for the .41 Magnum load is $26.48. For the .25-35: $41.67.

Federal Black Cloud FS Steel Upgrade. For a decade, Black Cloud steel shot has stood among the deadliest loads for waterfowl hunting. Now it’s even better. Equipped with the new FLITECONTROL FLEX wad, it delivers improved pattern density and consistency through both ported chokes and standard tubes. The wad’s redesigned rear-deploying petals and side-mounted vents stimulate the payload for separation from the wad at the ideal moment, for dense and deadly patterns. Eight new loads for the 20, 12, and 10 gauge are available in a variety of shot sizes from No. 4 to BBB. MSRP: $20.95 per box.

Federal Hi-Bird. Federal has combined speed, hard-hitting pellets, and a specialized wad to create an all-new load that will fold the highest doves, crows and pigeons, as well as upland birds. The powerful Hi-Bird load’s two-piece wad features SoftCell technology to decrease perceived recoil and produce more consistent long-range patterns. Plus, its lead shot is engineered for the optimum blend of hardness and density. Five high-velocity 12-gauge loads are available in shot sizes ranging from No. 6 to No. 8. Price per box ranges from $10.95 to $12.95.

Hevi Shot Triple Beard. Always respected for the innovation it has brought to shotshells, for 2017 HEVI-Shot has new 20- and 12-gauge loads for turkey hunting. This all-lead turkey load combines multiple technologies to deliver better performance. The Triple Beard load combines an equal mix of premium lead antimony pellets in sizes 5, 6 and 7. Available for 2017 are a 3.5-inch 12-gauge, and 3-inch 20- and 12-gauge loads. Those old longbeards better keep their heads down! Suggested retail: $15 to $20 per box.

Norma Adds 6.5 Creedmor. The 6.5 Creedmoor continues to gain popularity with hunters, especially those who want to deliver downrange .308 Winchester-like ballistics with less recoil. For 2017 Norma—a company established for the original purpose of making 6.5×55 Mauser ammunition—has added a new 6.5 Creedmoor load to its USA ammunition line. It is loaded with the excellent and flat-shooting 130-grain Swift Scirocco II bullet, at a muzzle velocity of 2,789 fps. This load is suitable for animals as large as elk out beyond 300 yards. MSRP: $40.88 per box of 20.

PolyCase Expands ARX Line. Changing the way we look at ammunition continues to be the mission of PolyCase. For 2017 the company has added several loads that utilize its copper-polymer injection-molded projectiles. 357 Mag. aficionados now have an 86-grain ARX load at 1,650 fps and it generates 520 foot-pounds of energy. Though intended as a defense load, it should be ideal in lever-action hunting rifles chambered for the .357. If your idea of stopping stuff is to use a .45 Colt, PolyCase has a 158-grain ARX load in their Preferred Hunting line for that old cowboy classic. Additional ARX Preferred Hunting loads are available for the .458 SOCOM and .50 Beowulf. Prices range from $20 to $55 per box.

Remington Adds .300 Blackout. Next to the .223 Rem. the .300 Blackout has become the most popular AR-15 (Modern Sporting Rifle) cartridge. It offers the duality of supersonic and suppressed fire and is suitable for a wide range of hunting applications. However, the .300 Blackout is also fun to shoot and of course hunters need to practice. Remington has recognized the .300 Blackout is a true volume-fire cartridge and is now offering a new Freedom Bucket containing 180 rounds of .300 Blackout at a suggested retail price of $133.73.

Federal 209 Muzzleloading Primer. The old mountain men knew that ignition was everything when it came to their muzzleloaders. Nothing has changed, and the modern hunter who relies on the front stuffer has a new way to make his smokepole go bang. Federal has developed a new 209 Muzzleloading Primer to complement its line of B.O.R. Lock MZ bullets. The formulation provides superior resistance to moisture and more reliable and hotter ignition of both granulated powder and pellets, without causing the excessive fouling in the breech area. 100-count packs: $8.95.

Three shots. One per day over three days. Checking the group that results from this simple cold-bore test will show if a particular hunting ammo is the right choice for your hunting rifle.

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