This week I’d thought it might be fun to cover a few subjects and items that recently have caught my attention.

First a new grip from Pachmayr®, the Guardian Grip. This innovative polymer grip is designed for “J” frame Smith & Wesson® revolvers. I often carry an M&P® 340; this is a Scandium frame 5 shot revolver that is very light (13.8 oz.) chambered in .357 Magnum. Shooting this little wheel gun, even with only .38 special rounds is a bit of a challenge. I have fairly large hands and I can only get 2 fingers on the grip of this small gun. The Guardian Grip helps solve that problem. It has a button that when pushed extends a portion of grip that is housed in the normal sized “J” frame grip. This gives folks like me greater purchase when shooting these small revolvers. With no loss of concealability and access to a better grip, this option should be a big seller. These are a bit hard to find, but Midway USA™ has them in stock for about $40. If you purchase one of these grips, be sure to read the installation instructions. Adding this grip to you gun is fairly easy, but a more involved than just removing and replacing the grip.

Spring turkey season opens on April 14 and runs through May 20. This year there are many more areas where one can simply purchase a turkey license over the counter; cost for a Montana resident is $ 6.50. Of course you will need a Conservation License ($8) and a Base Hunting License ($10). Only male birds are legal to take in the spring season, but numbers of birds are really plentiful and with a little scouting and practice calling, most turkey hunters should have success harvesting the big birds. Wild turkey may be taken in the spring with a shotgun not larger than a ten gauge or a long, recurve, or compound bow and arrow. Fall season birds may also be taken with a rifle or pistol in areas where there use is legal. Study the regulations, do some homework, and get out and enjoy the springtime hunt.

Finally, the competitive shooting sports seasons are beginning all over Montana. Whether you interest in the clay target sports, (I confess, my favorite) pistol competitions, 3 gun, or long range, there are competitions nearly every weekend from now until October. These events are really a lot of fun and you probably have all the equipment you need in your own home. You will meet some of the best Montanans there are and competing is a truly great experience. Give one a try, I guarantee you will have a good time. Check the internet for information on gun clubs, organizations, and scheduled events, they are quite easy to find. If you need some assistance, send me an email at guncoach@gmail.com; let me know what you are interested in and I’ll try to get you on the right track.

Be safe and good shooting.

Colonel Smoothbore