Sportsmans News

Nothing says elk camp like the glow of a white canvas wall tent on a cool September evening.  The smoke created from the wood stove slowly rides the thermal airwaves out across the valley while the residents enjoy a toasty evening reminiscing about hunts of the past as they plan the strategy for the upcoming days.

A smile comes across my face as I read this last paragraph.  It brings back so many great memories of life with family and great friends. The wall tent is a home away from home for all that use it.  The famed “Wall Tent” has been around for centuries and has been used by our military since the Civil War era.  It is a primary home for many outfitters and their clients throughout the summer and fall each and every year.  However, this isn’t just a piece of equipment for professionals.  More and more individuals are purchasing these tents for even the occasional usage.   Continue Reading

One of the most important parts of any fishing trip is staying dry.  On our many visits to waters around the world, the Sportsman’s News team has the chance to put many products to the test and one of those products that has made it on our “Must Have” list is the Caddis Wading System. Continue Reading

By Dan Kidder
Managing Editor

For a low cost yet reliable self defense gun, look no further than the Smith & Wesson Sigma SW40VE. Featuring an ergonomic 18-degree grip angle, a 14+1 capacity, stainless steel slide with two-tone coloration, and some of the most innovative internal safety mechanisms on the market, the Sigma brings reliability and performance into range of most budgets. Continue Reading

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By Dan Kidder
Managing Editor

Since it was designated as the official pistol of the U.S. Military 100 years ago, the Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol has been often imitated, derided, discarded and ultimately vindicated. Every handgun designed in the last 100 years has had to stand beside the 1911 for examination and every one has been found wanting in comparison.

Sturm Ruger & Co. was founded in 1949 and has been making high quality firearms ever since. It only seems right that this venerable gun maker should celebrate the 100th anniversary of the most venerated pistol in history by creating their own take on it. Continue Reading

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The Benelli Super Black Eagle II sets the standard for styling, versatility and performance by which all other semi-auto shotguns are judged.  If you are looking for a 12 ga. shotgun with unfailing reliability, the kind of reliability that you can count on, your search is over.  As the original 3 1/2 “ semi-auto shotgun, the Super Black Eagle was on the cutting edge of shotgun development.  The proven Benelli Inertia Driven bolt mechanism allows the Super Black Eagle II to shoot 2 3/4 “, 3” and even 3 1/2” magnum ammunition without adjustments. The Sportsman’s News Team put the Super Black Eagle II to the test last December in Colorado and big honkers were falling out of the sky left and right! Continue Reading

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By Sportsman’s News Pro Staff

Choosing to hunt dangerous game like bears, cape buffalo, and lions is an entirely different commitment than chasing deer, elk, or antelope.  You can go from being the hunter to the hunted in the blink of an eye.  Any major mistakes can cost you your life and the lives of your hunting companions.  So, picking a rifle with this theory in mind makes you take the smallest details into considerations.  You want a gun that is going to be there for you when the moment of truth is upon you and you definitely want a highly dependable gun in your hands in the event that your hunt starts to get a little western. Continue Reading

By Shane Chuning
The Sportsman’s News team gets a chance to test a lot of different gear each and every month and the items that really rise to the top get put on the schedule for our “Pros Pick” column.  Since we only do 12 publications a year, we reserve these spots for some of the very best products that come across our desk.  The 2011 Bear Carnage is just that type of product. Continue Reading

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Kayaks have been around for thousands of years.  The Inuit’s stretched animal hides over wooden frames and used those sleek watercraft to chase fish and animals for food on rivers, lakes and in the ocean.  For most of that time, there weren’t many changes in the design or manufacturing of kayaks.  Over the last twenty-five years however, there have been major changes and the Kayaks of today are much different and more plentiful.  A quick search on the web will reveal just how much is out there on kayaking and especially kayak fishing. Continue Reading

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By Dan Kidder
Managing Editor

My first thought on this gun was, “this trigger and I are going to have some issues.” The trigger on the SD40 is not a true double action, and it isn’t typical for a striker fired pistol either, but something else altogether. Smith and Wesson calls it the SDT for Self Defense Trigger. It incorporates a distinct two-stage trigger into a pull that seems to go on for a week. Continue Reading

After spending years of shooting a custom rifle, I was very concerned about possibly going back to a factory rifle, but I was told by Scott Grange at Browning that I wouldn’t be disappointed in the performance of the new factory guns.
Our test gun is an X-Bolt which was developed in 2008.  More specifically, we had our hands on an X-Bolt Stainless Stalker in Carbon Fiber.  After years of producing the tried and true A-Bolt, Browning developed this new model which has some pretty good improvements to cater to the guys like me who have been shooting a custom rifle for years, but don’t want to pay the custom gun prices. Continue Reading

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With archery season just around the corner, it is time to drag out all the equipment and get it dialed in for the upcoming season.  This is usually the time that you start looking at your old equipment as well and start maybe thinking about an upgrade.  Each year, the new bows get faster, quieter and easier to draw. Continue Reading

This month’s feature in our new “Pro’s Picks” section is on the Benelli’s Vinci shotgun.  On a recent waterfowl trip to Colorado with Stillwater Outfitters, our staff at Sportsman’s News were able to put the Vinci to the test and it passed with flying colors!

We found this great addition to the line of Benelli shotguns to be lightweight, with very soft recoil, resulting in a very fast shooting cycle.  We experienced no jams or cycling problems what so ever and found it to be one of the most reliable and efficient firearms we have ever put to the test. Continue Reading