Parker

Go to this website: http://www.njsfsc.org/ There is a chapter in a number of counties that meet regularly, and you can join if you like and attend the meetings. Everyone can offer an opinion. The NJSFSC is made up of hunters and farmers who recommend or make proposals to Fish & Wildlife items like season changes, extending seasons, reducing seasons, reduction of bag limits, increase of bag limits, antler restrictions, etc. Of course, the decisions are ultimately made by Fish & Wildlife after scientific analysis by biologists when required. But it is also hunter input from the field that is listened to since they are the ones out there. (There has been a push by activists over the last few years to add two members to the committee who are non-hunters, like PETA members, claiming the committee is biased since it is comprised of only hunters.) The NJSFSC has begun working in concert with the NJOA (http://www.njoutdoor...about/njoa.html) as well. I was a member and attended the NJSFSC Bergen chapter meetings.

Those Husqvarna bolt action's were beautifully made rifles. I found a high grade model this summer in a collection and the lucky buyer paid only $250 for it. S&W sold and recently discontinued a line of SxS's. They can still be found on the broker sites. Bill Hanus scooped up a bunch of them and is still selling them on his website. (May Bill RIP.) Only gripe folks had with them is they were made in Turkey.

Here is some load data that will be applicable for your Hawken. It covers your T/C be it .45, .50 or .54 cal. (The T/C data is the same I started using in 1981. It's still applicable today.) The twist rate in the Hawken/Renegade from that era are better suited to Maxi-Ball's vs. PRB's, but both will work. It's a matter of finding the right combination. I've always used Pyrodex; RS or Select. I prefer the Maxi-Ball over the PRB for superior penetration on game if you are taking it hunting. http://www.epmuzzlel...ballistics.html

Is your ejector rod bent slightly from banging it open?

I like your choices, particularly the Winchester. (The Model 70 turned 75 this year.) It was the "complete package." Excellent factory trigger, Mauser-style bolt with controlled-round feed, three-position safety, quality machining, deep rich bluing, and usually pretty accurate. It was so beloved it acquired the handle, "The Rifleman's Rifle." Writer/outdoorsman Jack O'Connor legitimized the rifle and wrote lovingly about it in his book, "The Rifle Book" and further cemented its legend. Roger Rule's book is a good read as well.

I'm sure it's an obligatory disclaimer, just like "don't shoot reloads or lead bullets in your Glock." Factories shine up ammo before the final packaging, but it's only for a few minutes. So, it seems to not be a problem. But I don't see it as an optional step in any A-B-C reloading manual yet. And if planes, trains and trucks jostled goods so much, we'd never get an egg delivered to the supermarket.

Excerpt from the article I provided from Accurate Shooter in my link above: Hodgdon’s official policy is: “Completed ammo should not be tumbled. The powder will degrade and increase in burn speed.” (From Mike Daly, Customer Satisfaction Manager, Hodgdon/IMR.)

3" shells carry a heavier payload (# of pellets) but some are slower in velocity than say a 2 3/4" "express" load. Pellet weight more so and velocity are determining factors in energy. (Typical pellet count of 00 buck in 12 ga. 2 3/4" and 3" loads can be 9, 12 or 15 pellets.) Pattern your gun at 25 yds., then lengthen that distance during practice. Some folks like to use a paper plate (10") as a measurement their pattern in relation to the kill zone of a deer. Keep the majority of pellets inside the plate to distance X, and that's the maximum distance you should stick with for an ethical kill. There's nothing wrong by patterning your gun with various loads. By doing, you learn. Deer won't "stop in their tracks" unless you hit the spine or come close to it, or hit the brain. Most people don't shoot at a deer's topknot either. Buckshot at close range is pretty devastating. Slugs are as well, but will create a larger primary and often a secondary wound channel which increases your chance for an ethical kill. Knockdown power is somewhat a fallacy. Death comes as a result of starving oxygen to the brain where the projectile penetrates/disrupts major organs and blood vessels. In contrast to a firearm, when using a bow &arrow, it takes only 25 to 41 ft.-lbs. of kinetic energy from an arrow to cleanly harvest a deer. A muay thai fighter hits you a lot harder than that. Yes Old School, some smoothbores can be very accurate out to 100-125 yds.

I prefer slugs over buckshot. Modern slug guns (those with rifled barrels designed for modern sabots) are accurate and when properly set up with a good scope can offer the ability to hit deer out to 150-175 yds. Smoothbore slug guns shooting traditional Foster-style slugs can still be accurate out to 75 yds. or as far as someone can keep a group inside an 8" target. Sabot or Foster slugs offer better penetration than buckshot, and usually provide complete penetration on broadside hits creating both an entrance and exit wound offering more than one blood trail. I've never seen buckshot penetrate a deer. I've butchered enough deer over the years and picked enough buckshot out of necks and hindquarters to realize that when buckshot is used incorrectly, and doesn't hit any vitals, hunters watch their deer run off and are often disappointed when there's little or no bloodtrail to follow. The same could be said for a poorly placed slug when it misses vitals. But with a slug you can pick the spot you want to hit more precisely that you could with a pattern of buckshot. There are still many hunters who use buckshot and they are very successful, but those who do also understand buckshot's limitations.

Pick a shotgun, especially a sporting gun, by fit and feel before beauty. (But, I'll concede there is nothing wrong with a beautiful shotgun.) If you want "Italian" and engraving from a little to a lot, while recuperating look also at the four flavors of Rizzini's as well as a Fausti. Beretta is another obvious option.

A dumb lament I never quite understood. It's as divisive an argument as recurve vs. compound, traditional flintlock muzzleloader vs. an in-line fitted with high-grade optics, baiting vs. non-baiting, trail cameras vs. no trail cameras, etc. The list can be made endless if folks want to split hairs.

If you're a striper fisherman, I use this forum a bit for reports. http://www.thebassba...display.php?f=5

No gun hunting on Sunday is a tradition that will die hard in New Jersey. Sunday bow hunting is still limited to certain areas of the state. WMA's are open; but parks, state forests, Federal lands and some other public properties are closed. The list is extensive. No Sunday Deer Hunting on the Following Properties: ALL TOWNSHIP/MUNICIPALLY-OWNED LANDS COUNTY PARKS Atlantic County Park System (Zone 61) Hunterdon County Park System Mercer County Park System Middlesex County Park System Monmouth County Park System Morris County Park System STATE FORESTS Abram Hewitt Bass River Belleplain Jenny Jump Lebanon Norvin Green Penn Ramapo Mountain Stokes Wharton Worthington STATE PARKS and RECREATION AREAS Allamuchy Mountain Allaire Bear Swamp Natural Area Delaware & Raritan Canal Double Trouble Farney Hacklebarny High Point (Zone 67) Kittatiny Valley Long Pond Ironworks Pigeon Swamp Rancocas Ringwood Round Valley Six Mile Run Reservoir Spruce Run Stowe Creek Swartswood Voorhees Warren Grove Washington Crossing Wawayanda NOTE: The former Wanaque WMA has been incorporated into Long Pond Ironworks State Park and is NOT open to Sunday bow hunting. FEDERAL PROPERTIES Cape May NWR Delaware Water Gap NRA D.O.D. Ponds Earle Naval Weapons Station (Zones 39 & 40) Edwin B. Forsythe NWR (Zones 56, 57, 58, 70) FAA Technical Center (Zone 66) Fort Dix Military Reservation (Zone 37) Great Swamp NWR (Zone 38) Lakehurst Naval Station (Zone 53) Picatinny Arsenal (Zone 54) Supawna Meadows Wallkill River NWR OTHER PUBLIC LANDS Bayside PSEG Tract All State of NJ Natural Lands Trust Lizard Tail Swamp Newark Watershed

It's nice to see some progress in the right direction. Anything the state can do to generate more interest in hunting through the offering of more alternatives is a plus. In 1991 the state sold 88,263 resident hunting licenses. Last year they sold only 39,225 resident hunting licenses. Airguns are allowed in New York for small game. Pennsylvania needs to move in the same direction.

Classic shotguns, great photos. Enjoy. http://bluetoad.com/...on/?m=18740&l=1

Some interesting changes for sure: Buckshot (#4) and lead BB legal for fox & coyote during the special season Small-caliber centerfire rifle (.25 caliber or less, 80 gr. bullet max.) legal for fox & coyote during the special season Air rifle legal for small game http://www.njfishand...ers_Meeting.pdf

I know the OP refers to handgun rounds, but I don't think I have a reloading manual that says tumbling live rounds is a another step you perform in the reloading process. Everyone strives to push the envelope, but sometimes expediency should be labeled with a caution sign. Here's another viewpoint from another forum: http://bulletin.accu...an-loaded-ammo/

855,000 occurred mid-year in 1963. 855,000 and forward determined that barrels were interchangeable. Up until 1963, each barrel was headspaced individually to bolt and receiver. I have read that there are subtle difference between the Kings Ferry guns and Ohio guns when it came to barrels. There is some mention of such on Ithaca's website. (Some Kings Ferry guns were marked Model 87, then they changed back to Model 37 again.) It is smart to inquire what era of barrel you are purchasing if it's used. Two sources for Ithaca used/new smoothbore slug barrels: http://www.barrelexc....&Submit=Search http://www.corsonsbarrels.com/

Tell your friend next time to stand next to the guy with the factory 1100 trap gun if it's a semi-auto. They're set up to not throw empties nine feet into the adjacent shooter, but dump them lazily to the right and slightly behind the shooter. PS - ATA rules state that "all guns used by contestants must be equipped, fitted and utilized so as not to eject empty shells in a manner that substantially disturbs or interferes with other contestants." Clubs enforce them in league play, while some don't during regular practice sessions.

Your 37 is a post-855,000 S/N. Your shotgun was probably made in Kings Ferry, NY. Current production is in Ohio right now. There should not be any changes so give the Sandusky, OH plant a call and inquire.

Post 855,000 S/N's are easy to find barrels for, so you should have no problem. Pre-855,000 serial numbered guns are a little more difficult to find.

DHS is the third largest cabinet department in U.S. government.

Nice shotgun. Tough to price these, for there is little data out there about them. Try the Spanish Shotguns Forum on ShotgunWorld. The shotgun pictured is a true pinned sidelock, which will raise its value considerably. The sidelock configuration is similar is design to the Ugartechea 7 pin sidelock. It lacks the gas relief ports found on some SxS Zabala's, but that's not a detraction. I can't tell from the picture but are the firing pins bushed? (This means they are removable from the breech face. You can tell by an additional two or three holes around each firing pin hole. A special tool is inserted there and the face unscrews, allowing easy removal of the firing pin for replacement.) These sidelocks are very different and better made than some of the price point shotguns Zabala Hermanos puts out today and are head and shoulders above their boxlocks. My uneducated guess is this gun in this shape would sell for something farther north than five hundred dollars. (My guess would be $800-$1000 or maybe more, but I'm no expert.) The beauty of true sidelock guns is their instantaneous ease of maintenance.

You might be able to find a stock cheap but chances are your cost will be what you fear. The alternative is some type of strap-on or slip on. Look in the Classified section of Trapshooters.com For permanent, try Macongunstocks, but you'll have to have it finished and checkered if you want walnut For temporary, try Beartooth (don't know how durable or solidly lasting they are: http://www.beartooth...ising-kits.html) I personally don't like the synthetic one Remington makes. My brother bought their walnut Monte Carlo for his 870, but the price back then was only $65. Call Bobby at Thunder Mountain and see if he has any in his parts bin that's he's pulled from other shotguns.

I noticed there are no stick powders in those comparisons. The rounder ones seem to have fared well.