Using a .223 Remington for hunting deer might be one of the most controversial subjects when it comes to campfire arguments. This is especially true with the current popularity of the AR-15, which is most commonly chambered for the .223 Rem.

The price and scarcity of ammunition suggests we shoot less, yet to be effective hunters we should practice shooting more. We can do both by practicing smart.

Most modern handguns have an accessory rail and many companies offer high-output lights that can be attached to these rails. Some even have an integrated laser. Others, such as the Crimson Trace Light Guard, don't even need a rail; they can be attached to the trigger guard. Most are moderately easy to activate while maintaining a normal two-hand grip. Having the light attached directly to your handgun frees up your support hand to open doors, conduct reloads, call 911 or pick your nose. So, a weapon light is a good idea. Right?

The best thing about magnum cartridges is you can shoot farther and hit your target without knowing precise range. Magnums maximize a sighting system know as Maximum Point Blank Range. It's the fastest, surest way of making hits on game animals without needing a rangefinder, ballistic calculator, ballistic reticles or dialing turrets. If you like fast and simple, learn MPBR and get a magnum.

From a political perspective, gun control is looked upon as restricting civilian access to firearms. While I'm sure some of you will want to engage in that argument, let me inform you where I stand right now. I believe the current gun control laws are over-restrictive and think the American citizenry needs more firearm freedoms.

Once you understand what a magnum is (see my last blog post), how do you decide if you need it?
    
Rationally.

Yesterday I bought a gun via Facebook. That might seem a bit weird; Facebook is obviously not considered a place to purchase a firearm. However, if you have a lot of friends on Facebook, it's likely they share the same interests as you. For example, on my Facebook News Feed I generally don't see posts where folks are complaining about hunters, and I never see posts about how we need more gun laws—laws that might restrict your ability to purchase a firearm on the Internet.

Magnums were created to make money ... to sell more rifles and ammo. Thus, we have 3-inch, 20 gauge magnum shotshells that launch payloads with less velocity than standard loads. We have a .17 Hornet that throws a 20-grain bullet 3,600 fps, and a .17 Win. Super Mag. that throws the same 20-grain bullet 3,000 fps.

I was at Cabela's the other day ... just looking around mostly. One of the things I looked at was the ammo shelves. I say shelves because that was about all there was to look at. The view is the same at the local gun shops around home. All the ammo is gone!

If there's one thing teachers like more than tenure it's bright pupils. Hunters like bright pupils, too—in their scopes.