Game Fair is one of the most personal and engaging, annual sporting conventions. Held outdoors, towards the fall, Game Fair is an example of the European tradition for sporting conventions called “Country Shows” or “Game Fairs”.
“Game Fair easily outclasses other types of shows and is a worthwhile travel destination.” -TRF
Venue | Site Armstrong Ranch Kennels/Ramsey, Minnesota 80 acre setting of lush woods, water and fields. *Ramsey is West of Anoka and is a suburb of The Twin Cities, Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota USA.
Kick’s is a talented maker of shotgun chokes. The Kick’s know-how is evident in both the world shooting titles that have been won with Kick’s turkey chokes as well their simplified product line.
The Kick’s “Recipe for Turkey” is the Gobblin’ Thunder brand of turkey chokes.
Choke Selection Choke selection is the most important means a turkey hunter has over how commercial ammunition performs, whereas the gun itself is more of a constant than a variable.
“An authentic turkey choke gives you the ability to kill only one turkey at a time.” -TRF
Probably the most underreported aspect of turkey hunting is the unintentional killing, wounding or crippling of extra turkeys when a shot pattern or spread is too scattered or unfocused.
The Turkey Kill Zone | Shot Placement Although it’s clever not to add shot pellets to the most edible parts of a turkey, 19th century books describe hunting turkey bodies in trees, at night, during a full moon.
Nowadays and based on principal, the shot placement guidelines for killing a turkey is an intricate headshot which includes the neck.
Exactly when the modern headshot directive was instituted is unclear because turkey hunting sometimes wanes for as long as 20-30 years when turkey populations dwindle or disappear. Hunting then resumes after the successful restocking of turkeys. A November 1970 Field -and- Stream article refers to turkey hunting as an “ancient art” following a 24 year hunting moratorium.
Nevertheless, the author’s father-in-law revealed that when turkey hunting briefly resumed in America’s Upper Midwest, in the late 1960’s and again in the late 1970’s, it was considered important to call a turkey to ruffle it’s feathers just before the shot, to allow penetration, otherwise, the shot pellets cold be seen bouncing off the back of the turkey.
Design Gobblin’ Thunder is an extra long tube milled from solid 17-4PH stainless steel with a parallel section after the choke that stabilizes the shot constriction. It extends approximately 1 ¾ inches beyond the muzzle, and has a round/flat, precision crown. Gobblin’ Thunder allows you to extend your range, barrel length and mass. A longer barrel handles more steadily and generally improves shot pattern. Increasing the mass of a barrel reduces recoil acceleration.
Installation | Finish | Markings Kick’s choke tubes are installed and removed by hand. I thought these chokes were visibly glossy at first, but I took them outside, in the natural light and they do have a duller, black finish preferred for hunting. These chokes have stamped/engraved lettering for easy identification that remains visible when installed and during use.
Porting | Braking System Gobblin’ Thunder chokes are diagonally and directionally ported at a precise, prescribed angle of 135 degrees forward of the shooter. Upon firing, these ports vent forward, slowing the recoil and better protecting the shooter, bystanders and hunting position from shock pressure, smoke and debris.
Gobblin’ Thunder’s heavy porting is very similar
in appearance to many of the newest compensator designs and is a long-established, ballistic improvement
characteristic. 24 sharp-edged cut outs, measuring nearly ¼ inch each, are oriented to provide momentary, retrograde traction for the stressed boundaries of shotcup-wads.
Surface interruption by perforations (porting) also vibrate the wad by converting some of the otherwise wasted energy from wad stress. This vibrational energy yields a more efficient separation between the wad and pellets (author’s conceptual model based on improved pellet release and the deformation and shear of plastic components).
Ranging | Accuracy | Pattern The Gobblin’ Thunder choke was extremely accurate, delivering a dense core pattern or “Bull’s Eye” at multiple ranges/distances. Beyond the “hot core” at short ranges, shot patterns had a very good distribution across the targets.
Unhelpful Aspects There are very few unhelpful aspects of the Gobblin’ Thunder choke. Ported chokes are generally louder (the equivalent of removing the outside wall of a muffler) and have an increased surface area that requires cleaning. Furthermore, Gobblin’ Thunder chokes are not recommended for use with steel or hard tungsten pellets.
About: I requested the opportunity to test, review and give opinion for Gobblin’ Thunder choke tubes. I utilized a donated sample for this purpose. Currently, I am not otherwise affiliated or associated with Kick’s Industries and have not received pecuniary compensation or incentive from Kick’s.
The Spectra Shot brand is hardly boutique, but is instead, the ammunition equivalent of Main Street USA.
In the aftermath and uneasiness created by the last rush of erratic, ultra-high velocity ammunition by other brands, Spectra Shot specializes in craftsman ammunition that is dependable and delightful to shoot.
Spectra Shot employs some of the same support that major ammunition brands use. Spectra Shot has been featured in Wildfowl Magazine and seen on The Sportsman Channel.
“Nickel-plated shot strikes like lightning”
–Spectra Shot™
The White Lightning Name |
Pellets Probably the most under-reported aspect of turkey hunting is the unintentional killing, wounding
or crippling of extra turkeys when pellets stray off course. Lost pellets
(flyers) are typically deformed upon firing, corroded or badly made. A close inspection of White
Lightning’s extra-large pellets reveals a uniform roundness. There were no outcroppings
or defects found. White Lightning’s pellets
have a lead core and a thick, glossy jacket (Ni/nickel) that is much harder than
copper and holds superior corrosion protection. It is recognized that
nickel-plated, hardened lead alloy (magnum shot) generates improved ballistics and resistance to deformation. Lubricity | Friction Values |
Penetration
Comparable to chrome friction values, nickel shot possesses extraordinary lubricity
and penetration. The author’s father-in-law
revealed that when turkey hunting briefly resumed in America’s Upper Midwest,
in the late 1960’s and again in the late 1970’s, it was considered important to
call a turkey to ruffle it’s feathers just before the shot, to allow
penetration, otherwise, the shot pellets cold be seen bouncing off the back of
the turkey. Turkey
hunting sometimes wanes for as long as 20-30 years when turkey populations
dwindle or disappear. Hunting then resumes after the successful restocking of
turkeys. A November 1970 Field -and- Stream article refers to turkey
hunting as an “ancient art” following a 24 year hunting moratorium. Nowadays
and based on principal, the shot placement guidelines for killing a turkey is
an intricate head-shot which includes the neck.
Performance | Recoil Spectra Shot™ is a good choice for those who have experienced uneasiness or erratic results with ultra-high velocity ammunition. While high-powered and effective, Spectra Shot ammunition has the benefit of soft/slowed recoil and was very comfortable to shoot while testing. Spectra Shot is never hot, snappy, jerky or jumpy but instead produces a stately, dignified, blast.
Compatibility
Spectra Shot’s mission states a commitment to top quality components. Individual shells loaded, chambered, fired, cycled and ejected smoothly.
Ranging | Accuracy | Pattern
Each carefully opened shell contained an average of 354 pellets of extra-large No.6 shot.
The White Lightning loads were extremely accurate, delivering a dense core pattern or “Bull’s Eye” at multiple ranges/distances.
About:
I requested the opportunity to independently test, review and give opinion for Spectra Shot™ White Lightning High-Velocity Turkey Load. I utilized donated samples for this purpose. Currently, I am not otherwise affiliated or associated with Spectra Shot LLC and have not received pecuniary compensation or incentive from Spectra Shot LLC.
Intended for provisional field use; pull-through gun cleaning systems made from thong, rope, cord or links, have been a regular item since the mid 19th century. Early American gun cleaning supplies included brick dust, mercurial ointment and sperm oil. Today’s pull-through cleaning is based on thin, precision cables, portability and succeeding as a primary cleaning system. Premium Features Inserting a cable through the chamber of a gun, from the breech, is perhaps more dependent upon the gun being unloaded than other cleaning methods. Cabled cleaning systems reverse the typical waste flow that can pollute the gun’s action, trigger group or magazine.
Work Site | Underlay | Waste Stream
Although cabled cleaning systems are very discreet and can be used anywhere, an apt site for gun cleaning is a boot tray ($3).
A paint roller tray is also a handy receptacle for cleaning and rinsing parts.
Home-based gun cleaning allows for full-size containers of cleaning supplies and rinses such as Liquid Wrench®, Break Free ®, Smith and Wesson®, Rem® Oil and KleenBore™. Natural clay granules are an absorbent for oil and solvent waste. Trays and absorbents should be continuously dried outdoors when not in use. Fabric used for gun cleaning should be fully dried outdoors before washing or disposal.
Accessory Thread Sizes
A common thread size for newer, universal gun cleaning systems or kits is No 8-32.
All the parts and accessories in a Bore-Squeeg-E™ Gun Cleaning System are No 8-32 matched threads. Cables terminate with knurled swivel connectors that allow cables and accessories to rotate.
Accurizing Cleaning
A forerunner and defender of well-ordered, practical gun cleaning is Rogers Shooting School.
Bill Rogers (FBI emeritus) developed the Bore Squeeg-E accessories included in many of America’s innovative gun cleaning systems. Rogers’ Deluxe and School Edition Cleaning Systems include a signature cleaning compound that improves accuracy by safely abrading and cleaning ammunition component residues and improving bore surfaces.
Bore Squeeg-E™
“When I first saw the Bore Squeeg-E, I immediately understood this was something significant” -TRF
The Bore Squeeg-E™ is a durable gun cleaning accessory that replaces mops, patches and floss. Squeegees are much more efficient than fabric and reduce waste.
With a single pass, the Bore Squeeg-E’s circular blades remove and control the flow of waste in a smoothbore or rifled barrel. This includes cleaning the grooves of a rifled bore.
Notes | Observations Surprisingly, when touched, the Bore Squeeg-E™ does not flex much against skin, but is apparently yielding enough to clean and dry bores/rifling. The Bore Squeeg-E™ must not be inserted into a fouled or dry barrel and requires a lubricant or rinse be present within the barrel.
Shotguns It is the author’s analysis that the Bore Squeeg-E™ must not be pulled through a choke with sharpened cut-outs. Instead, reinstall an original model choke before cleaning a shotgun.
I requested the opportunity to test and give opinion for the Bore Squeeg-E™ I am not associated with Bore Squeeg-E™ owners, affiliates, manufactures, licensees or retailers and have neither received pecuniary compensation nor incentive from these.
It can be a long walk from a parking area to a hunting position, particularly for respectable, law-abiding hunters who park legally.
Hunting often includes schlepping allot of equipment. A single decoy can be as big as a person.
Homemade | Ready-made Carts
“My first game cart was a folding, laundry or grocery cart. The wheels broke the first time out and our garbage hauler charged a three dollar fee to take the broken cart.” –TRF
A jogging (baby) stroller makes a good game cart for those who hunt alone from small cars.
