In the last issue, I commented on the letter sent to us by black-powder competitor Cody Smith. Mr. Smith raised the question that if the NRA appears to have lost interest in promoting the black-powder shooting sports, it might be time for a new organization to be formed that would seriously address the interest amongst shooters that still exists. It seemed a reasonable observation at the time and one that we received some comment on, mostly “pro” and very little “con.” ...Read More >

This issue’s cover is compliments of Sheryll Garbe and is one of the many great wildlife photos she has taken; a new buffalo calf, born in pretty frosty spring conditions taken in the Sandhills of Nebraska, and being guarded by a group of very protective cows. ...Read More >

Many of us have owned a Springfield Trapdoor rifle that just flat wouldn’t shoot worth a darn. We’ve tried a variety of loads and accuracy was disappointing, even though the bore looked great. In this article, we are going to get to the bottom of this enigma with 25 years’ worth of data on Trapdoor groove diameters. We will answer the question, “Just how good were the barrel makers at Springfield Armory?” ...Read More >

The late Gary Lucas of Goodland, Kansas, introduced me to the .35-40 Maynard cartridge. He was also the individual that started me on the .38-50 Remington Hepburn path, which also turned out to be a great discovery. The following article describes the Maynard cartridge and a Highwall chambered in .35-40, including brass, powder, bullets and recommended loading methods. Included in this article are some of my most recent accuracy tests with a recent lot of 2Fg Swiss powder. ...Read More >