Adult-size guns are mostly too long and cumbersome, kick too much or have a very loud report. Many require more strength to operate the controls than a pre-teen can muster. Fortunately, several companies produce .22 LR carbines made just for kids.

Child-size firearms date back to the early 16th century. The Holy Roman Emperors had diminutive wheellock arquebuses and even cannons made for their kids’ practice, to go with miniature suits of armor and swords. Such tiny arms remained relatively uncommon until the advent of fixed ammunition (originally BB and CB caps; later .22 Short, Long and eventually Long Rifle) and improvements in cost-effective manufacturing. Low-power, low-noise “gallery” guns became quite popular in the third quarter of the 19th century. Some of them were made smaller for teaching child shooters. By the start of the 20th century, a dedicated “Boy’s Rifle”—a take-down Rolling Block Remington No. 6 in .22 LR—retailed for about $2, a rough equivalent of $200 today. By the 1920s, several youth-size, single-shot, bolt-action rifles made by companies like Winchester were available for even less. Until 1968, any child could order these and other firearms by mail. Several of the models were expressly intended for the use in NRA safety and marksmanship courses, and were manufactured in substantial numbers.

Any new shooter is best served by a firearm fitted to his stature and strength, and that’s even more important for children who may have less patience than adults. A typical kid’s rifle is short, light, has proportionally reduced controls and uses fairly simple sights. Ideally, it should account for left- or right-hand preference and eye dominance. Several companies produce rifles dedicated to 5- to 10-year-old users, and several adult designs can be adjusted to fit teen and late pre-teen learners.

The total length of the gun isn’t as important as the length of pull (the distance from the buttplate to the trigger). The weight should be as light as possible, because smaller kids have much less strength than we would expect. For the same reason, the point of balance cannot be too far forward. Sling attachments are desirable, both for safe carry in the field and for support when firing.

The 3-pound Thompson/Center Hot Shot is the smallest currently manufactured rifle (in a conventional configuration) thanks to its compact, ambidextrous, break-action design. Its trigger guard is so small, the shooter has to cock the hammer before her finger can be put on the trigger. Windage-adjustable peep sights provide a very long sight radius but cannot be adjusted for elevation. The trigger is crisp, and the action is easy for a youngster to operate. The Hot Shot extracts the empties without ejecting them clear of the action, and with the back of the action facing the shooter, it’s very easy to ensure the rifle is clear. For older shooters, the stock can be extended with included spacers. The Hot Shot does not have sling swivel studs, but they may be added. The Hot Shot is available in black, pink and camo finishes.

Chipmunk bolt-actions redefined the kids’ rifle category when they appeared in 1982. Currently, similar Chipmunk and Crickett designs are made by Keystone Sporting Arms. The manually cocked rifles are available in left- and right-hand variants, and in a wide variety of wood finishes or plastic colors. A standard Crickett comes with a peep sight adjustable for windage and elevation, and the front sight may be fitted with a fiber-optic insert. A scope mount may be added for an optional 4×32 mm scope of surprisingly high quality, fitted with a mil-dot reticle. In consideration of its intended use, the parallax of the scope is fixed at 35 yards instead of the more usual 50 or 100 yards.  The Crickett weighs only 2.5 pounds, an important consideration for the youngest shooters.

The design of the action found in Henry Repeating Arms’ Mini Bolt Youth is very similar to the Crickett, but it adds a manual safety. The biggest distinction are the three-dot fiber-optic sights, which provide an easy means of teaching new shooters proper sight picture, but limit practical accuracy to hitting stationary sporting clays not much past 15 yards. For longer range shooting, a cantilevered Picatinny rail mount with a low-power scope or a red-dot sight is preferred. Sturdy construction and polymer furniture make the all-stainless Mini Bolt Youth a rugged, weather-resistant design at 3.25 pounds.

Compared to actions with exposed hammers, typical bolt-action rifles are fairly stiff for kids to make ready. Neither the Crickett nor the Mini Bolt Youth can be opened with the striker cocked, so it should be left in the down position until the decision to fire has been made. Manual de-cocking requires dexterity and finger strength, and is probably best left to the supervising adults.

Savage’s Rascal is a cock-on-open bolt-action with a machined, fully adjustable peep sight, and its receiver is grooved for tip-off scope mounts. Like the adult models produced by Savage, the Rascal includes the company’s excellent AccuTrigger, which provides a light, crisp trigger pull—an even more important feature in such lightweight rifles. A manual safety is also present. The action can be cycled for unloading even with the striker cocked. The Rascal is available with a polymer stock in several colors, as well as a high-quality walnut version. The polymer stocks are lighter by .5 pound (3 pounds overall), while the walnut stock is more solid and makes the rifle feel like a miniaturized adult firearm.

Chiappa’s Little Badger is a very unusual rifle for youngsters. With all-metal construction, a quad-rail fore-end and a threaded muzzle, it looks more like a science-fiction prop than a kid’s carbine. But, its ambidextrous, break-open action is simple and easy to use, and its sights—patterned after the M1 Carbine—are placed just low enough for a child to easily see. Adults with larger heads would have to use optics mounted higher than the irons. The threaded muzzle allows for the use of sound suppressors, which are very helpful for teaching new shooters, who are often noise-sensitive. A protected front sight and its generally rugged build make the Little Badger a good rifle to take camping. To that end, the rifle folds around the center pin and fits into a small included pouch.

The Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 and Chiappa mfour-22 are AR-15 lookalikes with polymer lower receivers chambered in .22 LR, ideally suited for smaller shooters. Thanks to their lightweight construction—a full pound lighter than ARs with aluminum receivers—and collapsible stocks, both fit young shooters well. If necessary, the grips can be replaced with abundant smaller variants. At just more than 5 pounds, rimfire ARs are noticeably heavier than the single-shot rifles, and have slightly more complex manuals of arms and maintenance requirements. But, they also offer greater capabilities, including optional magazines holding from 15 to 50 rounds (25 is standard for M&P15-22, 28 for the mfour-22) and are able to accept most readily available AR-15 accessories. Chiappa’s lower receiver may even be used with centerfire uppers once the shooter is ready to make that transition.

Accuracy with all of these rifles depends primarily on the skill of the shooter. The second most important factor is the ammunition: with bulk .22 LR fodder, all of these rifles produce about 4-MOA groups. That’s plenty good to break sporting clays placed on the 100-yard berm. If these are used for marksmanship training and not just for familiarization, higher-grade ammunition would be required. With match ammunition and quality optics, trigger and barrel differences become more important. Savage’s Rascal wins the trigger contest, and Chiappa’s mfour-22 wins on mechanical accuracy—with a trained shooter, match ammunition and high-magnification optic, it’s a sub-MOA performer.

Accuracy is only one factor for a training carbine. The Mini Bolt Youth, Rascal, Hot Shot and Crickett come out about even on the small-size scale, and the Little Badger gets high grades for compatibility with accessories and ruggedness. Depending on your child’s age, stature and level of experience, any one of these little rifles could be a good choice.

Keep in mind, high-magnification scopes so helpful to accurate shooting for adults can be difficult for younger kids to master. A fixed low-power scope would be easier for a beginner to use, while a red-dot sight would be simpler yet and extremely helpful for cross-dominant shooters. Systematic safety and marksmanship training on top of the mere possession of a rifle turns a good choice into an excellent one.

Berger bullets are exceptional target bullets for several reasons. Walt Berger, the company’s founder, established extremely high quality-control standards to ensure every bullet is manufactured to exact tolerances. He is also one of the most accomplished benchrest shooters in the world.

But, Berger bullets became match winners for other reasons: like because of the legendary J4 jacket. More than 40 years ago, a man named Jim Spivey left Sierra Bullets and opened up a deep-hole draw house that manufactured dynamite caps, lipstick tubes and such. The no compete bullet-making clause Spivey signed with Sierra soon expired, and he began making bullet jackets. These jackets were known as J4 jackets because the four guys who formed the company all had first names that started with the letter “J.”

J4 Jackets had a maximum total run-out of 3/10,000 inch or less at the base and 5/10,000 inch or less at the mouth. These gilding-metal jackets were received very enthusiastically by bulletmakers and benchrest shooters. Berger was one of the first to use them. His company still uses them to this day. Berger even supplies J4 Jackets to other bullet manufacturers.

The other thing that set Berger apart was the very low drag (VLD) bullet. In the mid 1980s Dr. Louis Palmisano teamed up with military ballistician William Davis to develop this bullet, which incorporated a secant as opposed to the common tangent ogive with a long, tapered boattail. Together, these features increased the ballistic coefficient of the bullet, giving it a laser-like trajectory and better wind resistance. Berger started making these super slippery bullets, too.

Berger asked whether its VLD bullets would be included in the book, because they were being used successfully by customers for hunting. I had serious doubts about the VLD’s ability to effectively take big-game animals, a field test was suggested. In the end, I was stunned at how well these bullets killed hogs—so much so another hunt in New Zealand for red stag and feral goats was scheduled. After more than 50 animals were harvested using VLDs—in calibers ranging from .257 Roberts to .308 Win.—I was convinced, and can confirm Berger VLD hunting bullets tend to put game down faster than any other bullet I’ve used.

How do they work? How could this flat-shooting match bullet go against the laws of physics and demonstrate such effective terminal performance when it only retains about 50 percent of its weight? For starters, it’s due to the VLDs streamlined shape or sharpness, which is able to penetrate deeper inside a critter before it begins to deform. Secondly, when the bullet does begin deforming, it does not really expand, it implodes.

You see, the hollow-point cavity in the Berger VLD is massive, and when its jacket gives way due to resistance, it collapses from the center. This generally occurs after about 3 to 4 inches of penetration. When the collapse occurs, the pure-lead core erupts. This eruption happens at a very high velocity compared to traditional expanding bullets, because it has not been slowed by traditional expansion. So, the resulting wound cavity is massive, and occurs on the side of the ribs where vital organs are housed. Penetration is moderate, but the resulting tissue damage is extensive. If you’re looking for a long-range bullet capable of extreme lethality, the Berger VLD has no equal.

Folks looking for load data or related technical information on Berger bullets used to have to call or e-mail Berger for information. Very often, these questions were answered by Walt Berger himself, who is now semiretired, but still works as a consultant for the company. Now, you can have that type technical information right at your fingertips, because the company has just published its first load manual.

Not only does this 829-page manual contain load data for more than 70 cartridges, you’ll find technical reloading information dealing with lot to lot variations in powder, the use of QuickLOAD software, powder burn rates and interesting information about cartridge overall length. The book also contains a comparison between G1 and G7 ballistic coefficients, barrel twist-rate information and 10 chapters dealing with various rifle shooting disciplines, all from trusted sources like John Barsness, John Haviland, Ron Spomer, Tom Burczynski, David Tubb, Robert Forker, Rick Jamison, Bryan Litz and many others.

As an added bonus, the book includes the story of Walt Berger, with whom I’ve had the privilege of shooting and hunting. I’ve heard his story from the source, and Berger has my respect. Not only is he a pioneer, this depression-era American built a respected and successful company and never borrowed a penny from anyone to do it. Yep, he built it. Berger is a gentleman and immeasurably humble. He has been gifted with one of the best trigger fingers ever bestowed on any man. If you like shooting little groups at long range, you need this book. After you read it, you’ll never look at a Berger bullet the same way again.

The policy change, which became effective April 19, was made following a determination by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) that a blanket weapons prohibition on campus is unenforceable, as well as unconstitutional. In an email explaining the policy change to students, Kutztown President F. Javier Cevallos said the university was following the advice of legal counsel to comply with the Second Amendment.

“I can assure you that we have done everything to implement the strongest policy possible, while staying in compliance with constitutional rights,” Cevallos wrote.

With a student body of just fewer than 10,000, Kutztown University is located in a rural area about 15 miles from Allentown, PA. With Kutztown’s recent action, it is expected the 13 other state-run colleges and universities will soon adjust their own concealed-carry policies to comply with federal law.

John Haller, Pennsylvania director of Students for Concealed Carry, welcomed Kutztown’s revised policy, calling it “a positive movement.”

In related campus-carry news, HB 972, which decriminalizes concealed carry on state college and university campuses in Texas, passed the state House of Representatives and has now moved to the Senate floor for action. Currently, students and faculty members are permitted by law to carry guns on public campuses in five states—Colorado, Mississippi, Utah, Wisconsin and Oregon.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, in addition to the five states where campus carry is permitted, 23 states place the decision to ban or allow concealed carry upon each individual college or university. Those states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia. Prior to the Kutztown University policy changes, there were a total of 206 colleges that allow those holding permits to carry handguns on state campuses, according to data compiled by Students for Concealed Carry.

Now, most confidential informants come from the criminal element. They are often folks who have been arrested for a crime and are trying to mitigate their punishment by snitching on their associates. However, Detty was nothing like that. He holds an FFL and, in the course of legal firearms transactions, became concerned about the character of his customers.

As a concerned citizen, Detty reported these concerns to ATF agents in the Tucson, AZ, area. He cooperated fully with the investigation and was subsequently recruited to continue to sell guns to people who were clearly planning to deliver the guns to Mexico. Time after time, Detty was assured ATF was cooperating with Mexican authorities, and the bad guys and guns would soon be rounded up.

During an operation that ran for several years, Detty kept personal notes and tapes of the conversations he had with the gun runners and the ATF agents. This Tucson case was ultimately overshadowed by the “Fast & Furious” operation being run out of the Phoenix ATF office.

Detty initially felt very good about cooperating with federal officers to take these gun runners off the streets. However, throughout the pages of “Guns Across The Border,” we see Detty’s great disappointment as he begins to get a look at the underbelly of the whole operation.

“Guns Across The Border” is very well written and extremely well documented. It is the clearest explanation I have yet to see regarding the infamous Mexican gun running operation. “Guns Across The Border” is available through most book stores and Amazon.

The Law Tactical Folding Stock Adapter is a 90-percent solution to the problem. The only thing stopping it from being a full-on conversion unit is the fact that it is not designed to allow firing with the stock folded. I carried folding-stock carbines and submachine guns during my Army days, and the circumstances where I needed to be able to fire them without first deploying the stock were limited to a handful of times involving extreme environments or circumstances. Even on my wildest day my civilian life is a bit tamer, so I can handle this limitation to the stock’s utility.

All that is needed to convert your existing AR to the Law Tactical system is the ability and tooling to remove the buttstock and buffer assemblies. Tutorials abound with step-by-step instructions for this procedure, so I won’t go into it here. The process will be smooth if you apply proper tools and attention to detail. Once the stock and recoil assemblies are removed, the included instructions clearly explain the process of installing Law Tactical’s hardware. The removal and installation procedures only used up 20 minutes of my day.

Simple tools and good instructions are all you need to add the folding stock adapter to your direct-gas AR.

After installation of the Law Tactical kit, the stock retains its original fixed or collapsible nature, but also folds to the left side with the press of a conveniently-located and protected spring-loaded button. The stock does not lock in the folded position, but hinge tension is easily adjusted with a hex key to keep it folded. It is easily deployed/extended by simply unfolding until it locks open. The latch is stout, and there is no doubt when it locks to full extension. Time to deploy the stock is faster than to extend a stock that has been collapsed to its shortest length for storage. A collapsible stock’s original endplate and castle nut are retained for use with the Law Tactical system, so any sling attachment points located either on the endplate or the stock remain usable. The kit will work on mil-spec and commercial receiver extensions, A1 or A2 fixed stocks and on both 5.56 NATO- and .308 Win.-sized AR platforms.

If there is a glitch in this system, it is in the way the designers have tackled the problem of filling in the inch-plus space between the rear of the bolt carrier and the front of the recoil buffer once the folding system is installed. The adapter creates a gap between the rear of bolt carrier and the buffer’s front. An included bolt-carrier extension must be attached to the rear of the carrier to fill this space and maintain contact with the buffer. This is easily accomplished with a flathead screwdriver and wrench, effectively making the bolt carrier longer to fill the gap. Without the extension in place, the bolt carrier would damage the gun and cause it to malfunction while reciprocating.

As it currently exists, however, the carrier extension must be removed in order to separate the upper and lower receivers for maintenance or repair. While I never plan to remove my bolt carrier in the heat of a gunfight, there are some serious malfunctions that do require opening the rear takedown pin—with the Law Tactical setup in place, tools are required to make that happen. If I were to change one thing on this kit it would be to make the bolt-carrier extension removable without use of tools.

With the adapter installed to permit folding, the author’s AR had its storage length reduced by 6.5 inches, making stowing his emergency carbine easier than ever. Stock deployment can be accomplished in the blink of an eye.

The included manual clearly states this system should never be fired with the stock folded. The intent of this kit is to provide a more compact means of storing your AR, not firing it from the hip. A spring-loaded finger locks into the bolt-carrier extension when the stock is folded, preventing it from moving rearward should the gun be fired in this configuration. Law Tactical has tested both 5.56 NATO and .308 Win. ARs with this system to verify they could withstand being fired with the stock folded, and in both cases the bolt carriers were effectively retained, but the Law Tactical hardware was damaged and unsuitable for further use.

I added the Gen 2 AR Folding Stick Adapter to my 5.5-pound Hoplite, bringing weight up to 6.25 pounds and stretching overall length by 1.25 inches. The biggest change can be seen in terms of storage space needed for the little gun. My carbine measured 32.5 inches long with the stock collapsed in the original configuration. After installation, overall length with the stock folded was shortened to just 26 inches.

I fired 150 rounds of 55-grain FMJ and surplus 62-grain M855 “green tip” through my gun with the Law Tactical adapter installed. Function was flawless, and though my length of pull was longer, the collapsible stock allowed me to easily remedy that problem out for a normal eye-to-sight distance. I checked the screw affixing the bolt carrier extension after every 10 rounds for the first 60 shots to see if it would loosen, then I fired the rest of the ammunition and checked again to ensure it stayed tight. The carrier extension was properly aligned and the screw was as tight as when first installed each time I inspected it.

We live in an age of utility through modularity. Selling for $199 (web) to $219 (MSRP), the Law Tactical Gen 2 AR Folding Stock Adapter adds yet another page to the practicality chapter in the book of America’s favorite rifle.

My business consumes 150 to 300 rounds of centerfire rifle ammunition in an average week, sometimes much more than that. That means I am constantly on the prowl for available and affordable fodder. Several months ago, I noticed one of the few types of .308 Win. ammunition available was commercial versions of the U.S. military’s M80 “Ball” load. M80 (and NATO equivalents) has been around for a few decades, being issued in belted and boxed variants for semi- and full-automatic military arms. This load is often used in designated-marksman long arms and has even been pressed into service in sniper rifles used in the War on Terror.

Depending on the source, projectile weights range from 145 to 150 grains, all in a fully metal-jacketed, boattail configuration. Machine gun ammunition is often purposefully loaded to create dispersion at the target, creating a “beaten zone” to kill or incapacitate as many enemy personnel as possible with each burst. That fact usually makes it an unlikely choice for point targets. The U.S. military’s accuracy standard for M80 Ball (boxed or on stripper clips) is a mean average radius of 5 inches at 600 yards for all groups tested from a given lot of ammunition. That measurement loosely equates to a 10-inch circle or approximately 1.6 MOA at that distance. The standard for belted M80 is a 7.5-inch mean radius at 600 yards, or approximately a 15-inch/2.4-MOA circle. While in the Army, I fired various lots of M80 through my sniper rifles to gain “dope” just in case our match loads ran out in a combat theater. I was confident of hitting a bad-guy-size target, but I never thought of it as particularly suitable ammunition for accurate fire.

I decided it was time to find out if any of the available M80 equivalents would shoot well, so I gathered up nine brands and headed to the range for a test. My plan was simple: Use a practical rifle of known accuracy to shoot a small amount of each load at 100 yards, checking accuracy, reliability and velocity. I decided to use an 18-inch barreled AR and low-power optic for this exercise, reasoning that at best, this is a battle-rifle cartridge. I did try to factor out shooter error somewhat by using a good trigger (Geissele SSA-E) and shooting from a bag rest on a bench.

Prior to testing the M80 loads, I fired a known factory load (Hornady 168-grain A-Max) to get an accuracy baseline for the day. This .308 AR is capable of .6-inch groups at 100 yards, but the average this day for five, five round groups was .86 inch/.81 MOA. That is about as good as I can manage consistently using a 6.5X optic.

The M80 loads’ accuracy varied by brand in this small snapshot test, ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 inches for five-shot groups. Some of this stuff looked pretty rough out of the box, so I expected malfunctions, but every load operated as designed. I was surprised to see the standard deviation (SD) values for several brands measured less than 20 fps—far better than seen in true machine gun ammo. In terms of accuracy, I found the bulk of these M80 loads to be worthy of general-purpose shooting tasks.

Far from being relegated to belt-fed battle beasts chattering away in far off lands, commercial M80 Ball ammunition is relatively affordable, marginally available and capable of hitting targets with modest accuracy. That is about as good as we can expect in the current ammo market.

Shooting Results

Velocity measured in fps 20 feet from the muzzle with an Oehler Model 35P chronograph. Temperature: 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Accuracy measured in inches for five consecutive, five shot groups at 100 yards from shooting bags. Testing performed with a Citizen Arms 18-inch-barreled AR with a Bushnell Tactical SMRS 1FP 1-6.5×24 mm scope with a BTR-2 reticle.

The set of three, black, 1-ounce, ABS-plastic balls feature shockproof/water-resistant body, along with a concentric design and weighted base that enables them to spin and roll erratically. Each light contains two bright LED bulbs powered by two Lithium CR2032 batteries, providing a runtime of 20 hours. The two-position on/off switch is waterproof and recessed into the weighted base, so as to promote movement. Being counterweighted, the balls land with the light facing upward, backlighting any potential threats.

Each ball contains two white LEDs, which are powered by two CR2032 batteries and protected by clear Lexan.

From a home-defense standpoint, the Brite-Strike Tactical Balls offer a tactical advantage, although in testing I found them better suited for certain applications. For example, while the balls could be used as an alternative light source, such as to illuminate an area when a flashlight isn’t handy, I’d advise against it, because you relinquish your only light source, which is negligent and puts you at a huge tactical disadvantage (not to mention, alerts the intruder). Firearm-mounted lights are much brighter and allow better control of your light usage.

The balls are best when used to create a momentary diversion, giving you that extra split second you need to deal with the situation Just push the buttons and toss them into an area where danger may be lurking. The spotlights swirling across the floor distracts the intruder while simultaneously revealing his location and backlighting him, should you have to shoot.

In testing, the balls performed best on hard surfaces, such as concrete, laminate or tiled floors. When rolled onto carpet, however, the weight distribution was absorbed, which disrupted the momentum and stopped the roll. Is this a big deal? Perhaps not, if you don’t have carpet in your home, but given the product’s origin, one would expect them to perform well across any flat surface.

Flush fitting into its body for easy movement, the switch is easy to operate while shielding the lens in your palm to minimize poor light discipline.

In its current configuration, the product works well as a diversionary system, however, I don’t find the LEDs bright enough to disorient. After sitting in a dark room for 5 minutes to give my eye time to adjust, they were randomly tossed into the room. They did an adequate job of lighting the room, but despite the wobbling swirl of light, I could still see well enough to defend myself.

My suggestions for improvement are few. In spite of the company’s reasoning on its website for not implementing a strobe feature, it should reconsider—especially when considering the effectiveness of the Tactical Touch switch Brite-Strike incorporates into its flashlights. Moreover, the IR variant of the Tactical Balls has a multi-function strobe, so clearlyBrite-Strke has the technology. Providing the option of a strobe would make a good product even better.

DeWine said there were 31,407 new licenses and 6,354 renewal licenses issued between Jan. 1 and March 31 in The Buckeye State, compared to 16,823 in the first quarter of 2012 and 64,650 new licenses issued for all of last year.

The 37,761 new licenses issued in the first quarter were more than in all of 2005 (22,457), 2006 (15,751) or 2007(22,103).

“The increase in law-abiding Ohioans seeking concealed carry permits to exercise their Second Amendment privileges is a noteworthy trend” DeWine said. “I look forward to continuing to work with Ohio’s county sheriffs to provide information to Ohioans on this law’s usage.”

The Attorney General’s Office compiles an annual report as required by law about the number of licenses issued each year. Each sheriff must report concealed handgun license statistics quarterly to the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission within the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Those quarterly statistics are published on the Ohio Attorney General’s website once compiled and verified.

The record first quarter for Ohio CHLs comes off a record-setting 2012, when 76,810 CHLs and renewals issued by Ohio sheriffs.

“The second quarter is normally the busiest of the year for CHL licensing,” wrote Jim Irvine, Chairman of the Buckeye Firearms Association Chairman and recipient of the 2011 NRA-ILA Jay M. Littlefield Volunteer of the Year Award.  “If that holds true this year, we will have set a new record for total licenses issued in a year in the next 60 days.”

As of March 31, an all-time record 351,249 Ohio residents were licensed to carry concealed firearms.

Irvine said while it is difficult to point to specific reasons for the first quarter spike, he believes the recent relaxing of some restrictions relating to concealed-carry contributed to the increase.

“It is always difficult to assign specific reasons for behavior, but there is no denying that we have seen strong demand for CHLs since Governor John Kasich signed SB17 (Restaurant & Car Carry Rules Fix) and HB54 (Restoration of Rights) legislation into law,” Irvine said. “In December he signed HB495 (Concealed Carry Modernization) again making the program function better. As we have seen many times in Ohio, when the law is improved, the demand for training and licenses increases.”

Most of you probably keep your long gun stored in a safe, closet or behind the door. Some keep one in their vehicle (most law enforcement officers have one in the trunk or in a rack). When something happens that requires you to grab the gun, the last thing you want is for the sling to get caught on something and slow your movement. This can also be a concern when you are moving or trying to take a standing shot.

A simple solution is to run a couple of heavy retainer bands (rubber bands) over the sling near the buttstock. Then “S” fold the sling loop and tuck it under the bands. This will keep the sling tight against the side of the gun. It won’t interfere with the operation, but it will prevent hang ups as you pull the gun out of storage. When it is time to “sling up,” simply grab the sling and pull—the S-folded excess will come out of the retainer bands and you can slip it over your head and support arm.

For single-point shotgun slings, I put the bands over the stock and tuck the sling against the stock opposite where my cheek goes, so when I get time, I can deploy the sling and slip it over my head and arm.

This only takes a second or two for either an AR or a shotgun, and it really pays dividends when you have to move and/or engage quickly as soon as you pick up the gun. It also prevents those embarrassing hang-ups on gear shifts, door knobs and all the other things out there waiting to grab loose straps and gear.

At the first opportunity, sling up and continue.