It was a cold, windy day in the Nevada desert yesterday for the annual SHOT Show Media Day at the Range event. Despite the poor weather, I toughed it out with hordes of other outdoor media professionals to see what's new in the world of guns, ammo and optics.

Handgun ammunition loaded with Barnes TAC-XP bullets is nothing new. A variety of ammunition manufacturers including Black Hills, Buffalo Bore and Double Tap currently load them. Until now, the only option shooters had if they wanted Barnes TAC-XP bullets was to buy from one of these manufacturers or handload. For 2013, a slightly enhanced version of the TAC-XP bullet will be available, already loaded in factory ammunition directly from Barnes Bullets.

About a mile and a half from where I grew up there was a gun shop. This was before Wal-Mart and the Internet. I was in that store every weekend either looking at guns and gear or listening to folks who knew stuff about guns and gear. I almost always bought something ... even if it was just a hunting magazine. I was in that store at least once a week.

If you've been following this blog, you know that Winchester is unleashing the world's fastest rimfire cartridge. Until now, the details have been top-secret.

As a follow-up from my post earlier this month, here's a teaser video from Winchester to get you excited about their breakthrough rimfire cartridge that will be released next month. Keep your eyes on this blog for more updates.

The word "tactard" is not real word at all. It's a made-up word to describe a specific kind of person. I didn't make the word up. I wish I knew who did. However, I'm generally given the credit someone else deserves. If you're the father of this word or know who is, my apologies.

There are plenty of positions to choose from when trying to get a stable shot in the field, but there's one position I find to be the most versatile and practical: sitting.

Hunters argue about shot placement all the time. What is best? Behind the shoulder? The neck? On the point of the shoulder? Everyone has an opinion, or at least should, because shot placement is very important in the field. When hunting, you're trying to kill the animal you're shooting at. With self defense, things are a bit different.

If you think the 300 Win. Mag. is a significant improvement over the .30-06, wait until you shoot the new ground-breaking rimfire cartridge from Winchester. I'm not allowed to disclose its name or caliber yet, but it's scheduled to storm the market in 2013, beginning as soon as early or mid-March. Its performance exceeds current cartridges in its class by a wider margin than the 300 Win. Mag. over the .30-06.

An essential sound effect in old Westerns was the ricochet. Once you heard that whining cry, you knew someone had missed.