Tag Archives: Community

A Print Icon Returns…

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Growing up in the 1970s and 80s, my grandfather had lasting subscriptions to three preeminent periodicals that every southern gentleman of the day was familiar with: National Geographic, Playboy, and Field & Steam— and I dearly attempted (and usually failed in the case of Mr. Hefner’s publication) to get my hot little hands on both the current issue and stacks of back issues haunting the ponderosa.

However, print is all but dead. Hefner passed in 2017 (long after he lost control of his magazine), in 2020 Field & Stream (and sister Outdoor Life) ceased publication of its print edition, and Nat Geo followed suit in halting the sale of its print magazine earlier this year.

Well, it looks like F&S at least may be trying to make a comeback.

Hitting the streets this month is a glossy 10×12 160-page print edition of Field & Stream, with a very familiar feel to it.

From the presser:

The inaugural 2024 Field & Stream Journal, officially out on June 5th, features a rich mix of stories, including a horse-packing adventure in British Columbia; personal essays of fathers and sons and their mutual love for wild places; a ranking of the best top-water lures ever; and trout-fishing tips for this summer’s cicada invasion. Eric Church also shares a tale of his own in the first installment of his brand-new F&S column, “Church Country.” His story, titled “Seed Ticks,” recounts the first time he visited the property where he would eventually build a fishing cabin. The humorous—and, at times, nail-biting—yarn takes readers on an outdoor adventure with his wife and father-in-law, complete with a car chase, jungle survival, and a full-fledged war on microscopic bloodsuckers.

For those interested, subscriptions will be a hefty $45 for two issues on a biannual publication schedule (Spring and Fall) or single copies for $25 plus shipping. Digital will be $15.

Know a high school-aged kid interested in a summer marksmanship camp?

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Public service announcement time here, via the CMP:

Camp Perry, Ohio– May 2023– If you’re a junior interested in learning more about rifle marksmanship, there’s still room within the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) Junior Rifle Camps!

Each year, the CMP hosts a series of hands-on, informative Junior Rifle Camps for high school-age students and coaches during the summer months. Participants in the camps receive valuable lessons on intermediate and advanced marksmanship skills through various exercises and demonstrations, all led by current collegiate rifle athletes.

CMP Junior Camps with open availability include:

  • Standing Camp 1, Camp Perry, OH– May 31-June 2
  • 3P Air Camp 2, Camp Perry, OH – June 5-9
  • 3P Air Camp 6, Casper, WY – June 26-30
  • Smallbore Camp 1, Elk River, MN – June 27-30
  • 3P Camp 8, Camp Perry, OH – July 3-7
  • Standing Camp 2, Tampa, FL – July 10-12
  • Standing Camp 4, Anniston, AL – July 19 – 21
  • 3P Camp 9, Anniston, AL – July 24-28
  • 3P Camp 11, Perry, NY – July 31-Aug 4

The camps are excellent tools in developing each athlete’s strengths within the physical and mental aspects of the sport while refining trouble areas that may need more attention. Students are able to apply the constructive lessons learned in camp to their own budding marksmanship careers, with many moving on to college programs and beyond.

The Junior Rifle Camps are designed to train rifle fundamentals and techniques through group discussions and personal guidance from collegiate mentors on the firing line. The schedule also includes instructional smallbore camps for even more opportunities to learn on the range.

All experience levels are welcome! Find a list of dates and more detailed camp information, including registration info, on the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/youth/junior-air-rifle-camps-and-clinics/.

— By Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

Restricted 18+ in CA in compliance with CA State Assembly Bill 2571 prohibiting the marketing of firearms to minors in the State of CA.

How a John Wayne Movie Sparked Modern Suppressors

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I’ve been in the gun industry off and on for some 25 years, spanning from working the counter at a small-town FFL in my early 20s to full-time writing and editing. In that time, I’ve met some really smart and pioneering guys in the gun world, such as Mark Serbu and Jim Tertin.

However, probably the biggest brain guy in the gun industry in terms of suppressors is Dr. Phil Dater, MD, founder of Gemtech and a man considered by many in our industry to be the modern-day godfather of silencers.

Dater back in the day

Jake Kunsky, who developed quiet products for NEMO Arms, Gemtech Suppressors, Smith & Wesson, and Maxim Defense and now runs JK Armarment, recently sat down with the gun world’s “Dr. Phil” — now 86– and talked about a wide range of subjects for an hour.

Topics include

  • Where Gemtech got its name?
  • How Dr. Dater, a Radiologist by training, brought silencers out of nearly a century of obscurity?
  • How a microphone’s diaphragm affects decibel measurement?
  • What arguably the most experienced man in the industry thinks about various methods of measuring silencer performance?
  • How military and consumer requirements for a silencer differ?
  • Why the ATF Form 4 approval process took only a few weeks back in the 70s?
  • How John Wayne inspired the modern silencer renaissance?

If you have an hour and are interested at all in gun culture or suppressor history, check it out.