Return of the Booth Babes: The 2007 SHOT Show
This page has been moved to http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/gun-nut
If your browser doesn’t redirect you to the new location, please visit The Gun Nut at its new location: www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/gun-nut.
A Knife for the Next Depression
More goodies from Remington.
This is not a new knife (or a knew nife) but I gave it short shrift last year when it came out and I regret that, because it’s a very good one. It’s designation is Tango Series I Fixed (which is odd, because in milspeak, Tango refers to a terrorist). It’s what gun writer Ken Warner refers to as a “sharpened pry bar,” which means the thing is just about indestructible. There are military, civilian, and law enforcement models with a choice of drop point (shown here), sabre point, or tanto point in either 440C or N690 stainless. The handle scales are G-10, which is glass-filled epoxy that is harder than Hillary’s heart.
Blade length is 5-1/3 inches and overall is 10-1/2 inches. Sheaths are Cordura nylon, tactical, and high-speed, low drag. The blades are very heavy—just over 1/4-inch thick, as nearly as I can tell, which is pretty rare these days. I don’t see how you could damage the Tango I even with unreasonable use. In the times to come, this would seem an ideal tool for cutting into wheels of government cheese, butchering rats you have shot for food, or breaking your way into an unoccupied house to spend the night. (It beats your car.) The price is around $130.
And on a slightly more upbeat note, if you’re looking for an effective low-noise-level .22 LR round, may I recommend Remington’s new CBee 22. It fires a 33-grain bullet at 740 fps, will work flawlessly through any .22 LR rifle (although it does not pack the pork to cycle a .22 auto). Accuracy and expansion are claimed to be excellent (Remington had to invent a new kind of .22 bullet to provide the latter). A box of 100 is $5.55.
Nifty (knifty) knife, but will it hold an edge? 'Cause looks alone just won't cut it in my book. (yea, pun intended)
Posted by: Blue Ox | October 30, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Serrated? 5 1/2 inch blade?
Dave you're breaking your own rules on selecting a good knife. This flip flopping is starting to cause us to question your suitability for president, or was it king, it might have been god, I'll have to go back through the meeting minutes.
Posted by: Keith | October 30, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Looks like a solid knife.
The CBee .22 round looks interesting... I just checked and they are sold out on at MidwayUSA. The bullet looks like the same one Remington uses for it's Yellow Jacket HV .22 round, except the CBee has a scored hollowpoint. Considering how violently the Yellow Jacket rounds expand, I'd expect the CBee to perform considerably better on small game than the CCI CB, which has a simple rounded solid bullet.
Posted by: Katokoch | October 30, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Dave,
NOS but just read your new F&S article on '06 and MRX bullets. Did Mr. Murphy use any 165 gr? I read an article by Greg Rodriguez asserting that after his last African hunt the way bullets are constructed today 165's will outperform 180's in the speed/penetration dept.
Just when the water clears up somebody throws mud in it.
Posted by: Jim in Mo | October 30, 2008 at 12:09 PM
I love the blog, may have to buy the knife. But, my big question is, why are you not writing more in the print publication? I know you take some fascinating hunts, but it never makes the magazine. I'm tired of reading how high to hang my treestand and what boots are best for $20. When is some real journalism going to return to the pages of Field and Stream?
Posted by: rob | October 30, 2008 at 12:26 PM
This has nothing to do with rat killing or government cheese.
I'm going elk hunting in a few weeks and I'm struggling with decision for factory ammo for my .300 Win Mag. I've been shooting the Federal Speer 180 Hot Core loads for practice. They shoot well, but they're not a premium bullet.
I also know Hornady 165 grain Interbonds shoot well out of my rifle.
It's a cow elk hunt in Kentucky. What mid-range price ammo would you recommend?
Also, I recently acquired a Ruger 77 Frontier/Compact in 7mm-08. I shot it at 50 yards and have it an inch high. What does 50 yards translate to at 100 and 200? I can't find any ballistic tables that also give 50 yards.
I'll shoot it at those distances eventually, but it would be nice to know in the meantime.
Posted by: Tony C. | October 30, 2008 at 02:31 PM
With the velocity the 300 generates I'd try the 180 Interbonds.
Posted by: Jim in Mo | October 30, 2008 at 02:51 PM
Dave practically wrote the whole magazine a while back with the accuracy edition, and the man has got to hunt Africa and attend manufacturer's parties or we wouldn't have anything to cry about. I was happy with the crappy looking '06 flip-flop article myself... I can even envision Herr Petzal holding his custom .338 with a tear in his eye as his gut shot gemsbok heads towards Botswana.
Is it the nife nut now?
Tony you need a spotter? I can be in Kentucky in under an hour. Go big for elk 180 or up and you damn sure don't want mid-range price ammo.
Posted by: Dr. Ralph | October 30, 2008 at 04:48 PM
Tony,
My father shot 20 elk over the years with a .300 Weatherby Magnum and the 180-gr. Hornady Spire-Point. He never had a single problem. My friend from Wyoming, who is recoil-sensitive, uses a 7mm/08 with 130-gr. Speer Hot Core. He has killed 42 elk in his life, and the largest cartridge he used was a .30/06 with 150-gr. Hornady Spire-Point. Premium bullets are fine, but standard bullets don't turn to salt once they leave the muzzle. Worry about shot placement. Either bullet you named will be fine.
Posted by: Bernie Kuntz | October 30, 2008 at 07:34 PM
Bernie you said a mouthfull. Use the proper bullet at its intended velocity and it works.
Premium bullets are great, in fact I think this recent bullet craze is healthier than the magnum craze.
Posted by: Jim in Mo | October 30, 2008 at 08:28 PM
I am wondering who is the actual manufacturer of the Tango series knives. Anyone know?
Posted by: ishawooa | October 30, 2008 at 08:56 PM
Ishawooa,
A.G. Russell has them as being Italian made but give no specific manufacturer.
http://www.agrussell.com/remington-tango-military-fixed---drop-point/p/REM-19704/
Posted by: MatWV | October 31, 2008 at 01:07 AM
Tony C
Why are you worried about the price of a box or cartridges for an elk hunt? If you can't afford the diffence in price of $20 for a box of premium bullets like Swift A Frame, Trophy Bonded, Hornady Interbond, or Barnes TSX, then why are you going elk hunting in the first place?
Save the money for the baby's shoes and stay home. Where is the logic behind spending time off from work, buying a tag, spending cash on the hunt, etc. and scrimping on the very thing that connects you to the game? That makes about as much sense as buying a $200.00 rod and reel and then spooling it with 99 cent fishing line from K-Mart.
Posted by: CJ | October 31, 2008 at 10:19 AM
The CBee ammo is back in stock at MidwayUSA, but their price on it (which is usually a rather well discounted price) is $7.99 a box, not the $5.55 you quoted.
Added to my wish list so I don't forget to pick up a box on my next order.
Posted by: TheGunGeek | October 31, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Dave, Remington must have promised you something nice. Two articles specifically mentioning products by Remington??? Coincidence?
Posted by: Lyn | October 31, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Does CB stand for 'Cat Bullet"?
Posted by: CJ | October 31, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Oh goody, more junk knives
Posted by: romey | October 31, 2008 at 12:38 PM
MatWV,
I'm assuming that's "West Virginia." I grew up in WV but have been in the Pacific Northwest for 20 years. What city are you from?
And CJ, your point is well taken, but give Tony C a break -- he's just trying to figure it all out.
Posted by: Carney | October 31, 2008 at 01:50 PM
If a speer hot cor didn't kill animals, they wouldnt sell it. I have tried accubond etc. etc., but i find that plain green and yellow box core-lokt bullets drop animals just as fast. For elk, you may want to get partitions or accubond. I shoot a 7mm-08 and sight it 1.5 inches high at 100. You can find trajectory data on remington or federal or winchesters website.
Posted by: ryan | October 31, 2008 at 02:16 PM
By the way, on the subject of knives, why did Gerber discontinue the Harsey Air Ranger knife? This was one of the best little knives i've ever bought.
Posted by: ryan | October 31, 2008 at 02:17 PM
Come on you cheap skate.If i was going on an elk hunt, i wouldnt care if the price was $50 a box i would buy it . 1 shot 1 kill, its worth it.
Posted by: The Goat | October 31, 2008 at 02:19 PM
$130 seems a lot for a knife. It has a number of design features that aren't attractive to me. I prefer back or mid locks to linerlocks. the type of lock is'nt mentioned though. I also am not into serrations on a blade, I'd rather be able to sharpen the whole edge with the same diamond hone. Lastly for that kind of money I'd want something like fossilized mammoth ivory or slabs of Wyoming nephrite jade for the handle. So I'm a girl and I like things that are elegant and valuable. Even for the field style is important. My favorite pocket knife has an old Parker Edwards Damascus blade with Stag grips and German silver bolsters. I could shave my legs with it, (not Brazilian style though)It is that keen edged.
Posted by: Bella | October 31, 2008 at 03:01 PM
check this out Dave:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-30-gun-ceo-ousted_N.htm
Posted by: wow | October 31, 2008 at 03:19 PM
Open mouth insert foot.
Posted by: Jim in Mo | October 31, 2008 at 04:39 PM
lock? it's not a folder.
while you were shaving your legs with a folder, someone was killing a wild boar with a fixed blade.
Posted by: shane | October 31, 2008 at 04:53 PM