Familiarity
 It doesn’t always breed contempt.
Sometimes it fills the larder.
The only animal I shot twice while hunting in Namibia. Everything else dropped at the shot. Although well hit with a bullet that angled through the chest and exited, he spun around in a little circle and I shot again. I reloaded and was about to fire a third shot when he dropped. I believe in shooting again if they stay up.
Many years ago another teenager and I were walking around the country with our .22s. I had my bolt-action Anschutz sporter, my companion a Savage slide action.

We came on a big jackrabbit, scooting along at 50 yards or so. Working the bolt fast I kicked dirt on his tail twice, and rolled him with the third shot.

My companion, meanwhile, hadn’t fired. Somehow in trying to get into action he had tripped the slide release, partially opened the action, and got a double feed trying to close it again.

I was astonished anyone would have trouble operating a rifle, which is maybe why the incident sticks in my mind. Later, I saw several similar incidents. Rifles that wouldn’t fire because the safety hadn’t been fully released, cartridges jammed in magazines from incorrect loading, even one chap who thought his rifle was broken because the bolt wouldn’t open (it had a bolt-lock safety).

Become familiar with your rifle. Handle it until its safe and reliable operation becomes second nature. I’m not talking dry firing here, which is a topic in itself. Just handle it. Get used to the weight and balance, the fit of the stock, the location and function of the operating controls.

When a big elk is squealing in response to your call, a monster whitetail breaks cover or even a big jackrabbit, it’s not the time to be thinking about the mechanics of operation. By then it should be second nature, functioning at a subconscious level.

There's More Rifleman in
the January Issue...

• Shoot Again, Reload
• Common Mistakes
• Too Light?
• Fact & Fiction
• Too Much Gun

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