Parker

They are up to $400 now? Hmm, when I bought mine new it was less than $180 at the time. Come to think of it, that was a long time ago too.

Pennsylvania also has several "shotgun only" zones near Philadelphia. You likely will not find a more pro-2A person than me, and I think NJ Hunting regulations make perfect sense. You guys need to take this less personally and look at them in practical terms rather than assuming this is more "dey took er guns" kinda stuff. NJ, MA, MD, etc. these are all very densely populated states. There are people hunting in places that are not very far at all from someone's house. I also was told by a guy that hunts in NJ that there are "70,000 hunters in the woods this weekend" and that he hasn't even taken a shot in 4 years now. A lot of you are seriously ignorant about just how far something like a .308 can travel, especially if shot on an angle. Things like shotgun slugs, handguns and muzzle loaders may be huge caliber but they are slow moving and have a terrible shape and will lose velocity quickly and fall to the ground after only a couple hundred yards, and are a lot safer in crowded places like NJ. I am used to the restrictions in this state so these rules have never bothered me. Limiting the use of rifles in this state makes sense. The state of hunting in N.J. has only gotten better as they've become more progressive over the years since the 70's and 80's. But the sad fact remains that there are significantly less hunters with guns in the woods each year based on the number of license sales the state has tracked since 1970. Maybe in 1970 this statement would have been true; that there are "70,000 hunters in the woods this weekend." Maybe then, but not now. Tabulations of license sales in N.J. dating back over the years tell a different tale. In 2009, less than 50,000 resident and non-resident hunting licenses were sold. Hunting license presume "gun" hunters and those numbers do not necessarily reflect deer hunters either. Do a percentage comparison of gun-hunters in 1970 with a state population of just over 7 million inhabitants to gun-hunters in 2009 factoring in a population growth to 8.8 million people. Sobering numbers. License sales have dropped drastically over the last 40 years; and not from restrictive game laws but due to a lack of interest, growing license fees, cultural shifts and attitude towards hunting, and loss of habitat and farmland resulting in diminished game populations. The only two game animals that have flourished in this state have been the deer and turkey. And bears to some extent. From the state website - License sales (ALL) from 1970-2009: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/lice ... s70-09.pdf

Have not heard of the Heritage, but I have been pleased with my Ruger Super Single Six which has the extra cylinder for .22 Mag. It's reliable and rugged. They don't offer a conversion model. Back in the 80's my cousin had a S&W 651 J-frame .22 Mag. He shipped the gun back to S&W and had them install and time a .22 LR cylinder for the gun, effectively making it an M63. Price then was around $125 for the work, roughly half the price of the revolver then. I imagine they can still perform this work.

I agree with you.

Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts and some counties in New York still have hunting bans on rifles. I think New Jersey has always banned rifles for deer hunting. There was a time when buckshot was only legal in some states before progressive steps were made for slugs and muzzleloaders. It's nothing new. Delaware has been somewhat progressive and now allows a handgun in lieu of a shotgun for deer hunting. And there are still northern counties in New York (southern Ontario County being one of them) fighting to allow the use of rifle for deer hunting. And New Jersey now ranks as the most densely populated state in the U.S. Don't think there will be a major initiative anytime soon to legitimize them for hunting. Hunters are struggling enough in this state. There has never been a push or concerted effort to legalize them.

Has the distinction of having one of the longer hunting seasons for game in N.J. Head north to upstate N.Y. in the northern less-inhabited locations and many varming hunters hunt them with centerfire rifles at long range across cut farmfields.

When West Nile was prevalent in this area more than ten years ago, the state issued warnings about crows back then in the hunting compendium. Blue jays, crows, hawks and falcons are birds most susceptible to West Nile virus in this area. Might be a good idea to not "find the bird, skin it, make it right to eat" when it comes to the common crow. Just my opinion.

I don't know if I can bring anything to the table here, but I'm happy with the Leupold's and Weaver's I've had, the edge going to Leupold for quality, clarity, repeatability, lightweight, compactness and size, sturdiness afield and impervious to the elements. All range in age from 58 years to 30 years old. My brother has had good luck with Redfield's of the same age. The Leupold's I own are the youngest at about 30 and 28 years old, the Weaver's are around the same age except for one which I think was used to hunt dinosaur's at one time. (Only kidding, but it is 58 years old and is mounted on a bolt action that suits its style and look.) A fixed four-power, it's still clear enough to shoot 3/4" 3-shot groups at 100 yards from a benchrest too. My Leupold's spent 6 weeks each deer season in three states handling all types of rough use, weather conditions and temperature changes. They never fogged or let me down. They belong on a good centerfire hunting rifle. For my next scope for a centerfire I will probably treat myself to a Zeiss demo refurb w/warranty to try and save some bucks. Someday I will like to look into and procure a good high-end scope for a tactical/varmint rifle of mine but that is down the road. I wouldn't even know what to look at today or where to start. But I have some ideas. In the last few years I've picked up a couple cheapo Bushnell's that were fitted on rifles I bought but they are no comparison to the Leupold's. Don't know what the new Leupold's are like today, but I suspect like everything else, things get cheaper over time. For a .308 for 300-600 yards, I would get a good scope that's tough and durable. You get what you pay for today. I don't know what Nikon scopes are like but I've heard good things about them. I would look at a Zeiss as well. Scopes for .22's don't have to be expensive. Just be clear to see through and with adjustments that are repeatable. Your target and distance over what type of terrain you hunt are what dictate your optic needs. And of course, what you are prepared to spend. BTW - I have nothing higher than 7X. Personally, I detest large bulky scopes. I prefer slim, trim lines on the rifle for compactness and portability afield. I know some can be trim today but the fad I see today incorporates amazing magnification ranges, with large objective bells to gather light. My style of hunting doesn't call for "beanfield" needs so what I have is more than adequate and I see no reason to change.

Robar's conversion has evolved over the years. My buddy's was done in either '93 or '94, and it does and doesn't look like the current trend he's putting out now. Stippling finish was a lot cruder then. Looks a bit better these days and I see he has different finishes too.

It is a lot of fun, and some good wingshooting experience, especially for a youngster. They are not easy to take at times though. Fold the scout bird and you're in for some fast shooting because for the next few minutes the next thing that happens is others will come to investigate his disappearance.

If you're familiar with the G19 and like it, a G21 is a nice alternative to your Kimber if you want to stay with the .45ACP. I had an "it must be all steel to be real" mentality when it first came to my impression of Glock's years ago but after shooting them for the last 16 years, they are the real deal. My first Glock was an early model G21. Glock used to sell +2 extensions for the G21 13 rnd. mags years ago. Don't know if they still do. Maybe Pierce or Scherer from TopGlock or Glockmeister? If the grip frame feels too much like a 2x4, ship the frame to Robar and have them do a frame conversion for you. My buddy has REALLY small hands and had his G22 contoured to accomodate him. http://www.robarguns.com/glock.htm

Bulpup, If you're hunting Black River, take advantage of the heavy foliage now that's on the trees. Get into woods early before light and soft call. Birds if they are roosting will respond and "come in to take a look." Be prepared. The scout bird comes in quiet. If he makes you that area is done for. He will sound the alarm and you need to move to another area and setup again. Use cover to your advantage but most importantly keep movement to a minimum. Crows are smart and fly over the same spots every day. Anything out of the ordinary that they see they flare away from if they suspect something. Their eyesight is incredible. I camo face and hands, and hug a tree large enough to hide me. Any WMA is gunned heavily so their guard is up and taking them there is going to be tough. The plus you have is it's early season. Some of the best crow hunts I've had were in September.

Yes and sometimes worse! While crows are protected under NJDEP Migratory Game Bird Regulations, the state does recognize the importance of hunting them to curtail the agricultural impact they have on farming and the predation they have on nesting song and gamebirds. The state of New Jersey DEP actually qualifies crow as a predator. They have significant negative impact on the piping plover and tern population as well as nesting grouse. Regs for 2010- http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2010/migregs10.pdf From Crow Busters on "why to hunt". Good site to use as a crow hunting resource: http://www.crowbusters.com/whyhc.htm

I'd pick the M41 because it is current, but I don't know if you will find one for $600 around these parts. I sold mine for $850 a while ago. I like the earlier M41's. Better finish, deep rich blueing and the early S&W rear sight was better than the lousy Millett sight they tried back in the 90's. Early High Standards are equally as good, just may be tougher to find parts and magazines. Neither of these would be considered "budget guns." Many shooters like the Browning Buckmark or Ruger auto. They are reliable and equally as accurate. They simply lack some of the out-of-the-box refinement.

Missed that. Sorry. So too should this thread be locked as well. It's a moot point to argue in 'Jersey.

Interesting thread on AR15.com forum: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b ... 302&page=5 (start at page 1)

When I read "boolits" I was reminded of a pretty cool forum. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

Whatever feels best in YOUR hand. Let that be the decision maker. Both are good. My preference is the S&W for its refinement.

Get yourself a quality pump shotgun, the quality pistols and calibers like you've suggested are all fine, and a good positive turnbolt in an appropriate caliber. .308 would be my first choice followed by the .223. I have many friends who have rifles in their personal lockers and they've selected a simple but sturdy lever-action like a Marlin or Winchester (and some of these fellows use them in 3-gun competition to stay ready) in .357 Mag./.44 Magnum. A magazine capable of spitting 9 or 10 shots is still pretty formidable. With a sturdy peep sight with ghost ring they are very capable. As for "a debate for another time," my answer to that question is it will never happen in this country. Maybe if you lived in Wyoming or Montana and were far away from civilization and services, I'd recommend the arsenal you are suggesting, but being stoked like that in New Jersey is simply a passioned hobby on how to spend your money. Defend your home to the exterior walls, for that's the furthest you'll be shooting. And if "SHTF" did happen, we'd be looking at martial law imposed and citizens powerless to do anything for themselves. Look at Katrina, a natural disaster that took place five years ago in an environment ill-equipped, ill-prepared and socially decrepit. Armed law-abiding citizens were frowned upon in some instances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll_kv2Y0 ... re=related http://www.nraila.org/multimedia/mmplay ... spx?id=105

I always wanted one of those Ruger's. It's a shame the Ruger XGI never got off the ground. I wanted one in .308 or .243 when they were first advertised in the mid-80's but it failed to even get out of the gate. 7.62x39 is certainly cheaper, but most of the ammo is cheap. If you're plinking and taking target practice, that's okay. There are some good premium loads out there for the 6.8SPC with decent bullets for varmints or larger game. Move up to Boxer brass 7.62 that you can reload and the price is more than throwaway cases. Of course, you could always handload either round to keep costs down.

I'll wager that everyone who has signed this petition and inputted their email address is now receiving emails daily from CHANGE.ORG for all the other causes they support like; Animals Rights, Immigrant Rights, Gay Rights, Homelessness, Human Trafficking, Environment, Education, Criminal Justice, Human Rights, Poverty in America, Race in America, Women's Rights, Sustainable Food, Social Entrepreneurship. I suspect too that any victories for change have not been brought about by posting on this website either. Victories they claim I suspect are not born out of the small amount of signatures they receive. I am sure there is more involved behind the scenes in each case. http://www.change.org/petitions?order=victories I believe it's better to write a letter to members of the state Legislature and/or call their office directly. It has more of an impact. They respond to such. Here's an email response I received last year to a long letter I sent: Re: Please support Assembly Bill A1282 bring it back to life Thu, December 10, 2009 From: "[email protected]" Mr. Jamin: Thank you very much for favoring me with your E-mail respecting my proposed Concealed Carry legislation. As you probably know, I am the prime sponsor of this legislation. As I enter my eighth term in the Assembly, I will be introducing this proposal for the eighth time. Not once has it ever received the courtesy of a hearing before the relevant committee. Nonetheless, I am delighted to hear from folks advocating for freedom. Far too often, the only voices we Legislators hear are those arguing for bigger, more intrusive government, or those demanding something they have not earned, at the expense of their neighbors. Unfortunately, New Jersey is one of the small minority of states which denies its citizens their fundamental right to bear arms in their own defense. Sadly, far too many of our legislators believe, passionately, that only governmental officials can be trusted with firearms. And, for the time being, these folks control the levers of power. While your post makes a compelling case for this proposal, the studies and statistics you cite, which unequivocally demonstrate the merits of this legislation, simply make no impression on those whose opposition is rooted in fear and ideology. Unfortunately,

I haven't heard of anyone ever wearing out a pistol barrel. I think both types of rounds are safe. I would shoot both in either pistol. I've shot lead reloads in Glock's, SigP226 and a USP45 with success.

Link to the NJSP site regarding transport in and through the state of N.J. :http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/about/fire_trans.html 926A. Interstate transportation of firearms: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/ ... A000-.html More: http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/faq.html#firearms Know the law. It never hurts to have too much documentation or credentials with you either. It's a shame for us law-abiding citizens that many of us are paranoid when it comes to this subject. Makes you wonder.

Gessh, another iteration of the 5.56? They should have adopted the 6.8 when they had the chance. Thx. I'll have to look this one up now.

It seems that with each conflict since the 5.56mm's inception in the U.S. military, it has been constantly improved to adapt for evolving battle situations and the arms. http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/201 ... ghanistan/