Aug 25, 2018 3 min read

One of the big issues facing the outdoors lovers of Pennsylvania is the legalization of hunting on Sunday. Whether or not hunting will be allowed has been on the table for quite some time now and I believe the answer will be forth coming within the next year. Most resistance to Sunday hunting comes from farms or organizations that generally are conservatives.

For many years, I was opposed to chasing deer or bunnies on the Sabbath but have slowly changed my mind. Look for support from some of the farm groups in the eastern part of the state that will throw its weight to the legalization, which might tip the balance toward allowing the Game Commission to handle Sunday hunting and related issues. Actually, we have allowed hunting on Sundays for some critters, just not general small game such as deer, bear and turkey. Coyotes and crows have been hunted on Sundays for many years.

• Circle Sept. 15 on your calendar for the Mon Valley Friends of NRA Dinner and Gun Bash. This annual fundraiser and firearms raffle will be held at Valley Inn Social Hall, 34 Snyder Avenue, Monongahela at 4:30. As most readers know, the battle to protect the second amendment is ongoing and supporting these fundraisers is a big help in the protection of our freedom. Contact Margo Latchem 724-483-4559 or you can stop in at Johnson’s Sporting Goods Store at the intersection of Brownlee Road and Route 136.
• September is a busy month if you are an outdoorsperson. There is the afore mentioned dinner then the tradition of going to the gun shows at the fairgrounds on Sept. 22 and 23. Need a hard to find set of dies? Look at the gun show. How about that long lost clip for a Marlin .22 caliber rifle? Go to the gun show. There is probably more than one for sale.

The same can be said about reloading components such as bullets, brass and powder. Of course, we all stop and look at the rifles and shotguns. There will certainly be a sprinkling of those best of collectibles such as the pre-64 model 70 Winchesters. If you want one, surely there will be a few at the show.

Many show visitors will be looking at the guns. I will be checking some of the other accessories, such as scope mounts and rifle books. Before I forget, I must mention the most important reason for me to attend the gun show. It gives me the chance to mingle with friends and exchange views and trends in the building of firearms. Is the Creedmoor the final answer in rifle cartridges? I’m sorry but I don’t really believe in magic. You have a certain case capacity matched with a bullet with a certain ballistic co-efficiency and you have a certain performance.

If the speed and shape of the bullet are identical, so will be the performance. It has been said the Creedmoor cartridge is a superior round because of the design that includes a longer than normal throat, allowing the bullet to be seated further out, which in turn allows more room for the powder. This no doubt is true, but what has been done is it has increased the powder capacity of the round. In other words, the case capacity has been increased. Take any round and do the same and results will be the same. The .257 Roberts was treated similarly long ago so there is little that is new.