7 Steps To Tuning Up Your Rifle For Hunting

I used to have some bad habits when it came to getting ready for hunting season. Like a lot of hunters I spent way more time worrying about my gear and accessories than getting my rifle ready. I’d go out the day before a hunt and fire off a couple of rounds downrange and call it good. Ready to go. Now I’m not saying this method doesn’t work, but it cost me a hell of a nice deer once, and that’s enough reason to figure out another system.

It was early in the morning and frigid as hell and the buck I’d been watching for months, waiting for opening day was just about to cross the property line and step into my kill zone. The monster buck we called “the big ten” flinched as my first round went right over his back. Frustrated, I racked another one and let it go, where it went I’ll never know! The big buck took off like a bolt of lightning and in about all of two seconds he was gone, not to be seen for the rest of the season. That was a pretty bad time to find out that two of the mounting screws on my scope were gone. Just like that buck. I started following these seven easy steps to tune up my rifle before hunting season to ensure that I don’t run into the same trouble again.

1. Clean and Inspect Your Rifle

Most bolt guns are so easy to disassemble and clean that there’s just no reason to jeopardize the few days you get to hunt every year by carrying an un-inspected firearm into the field. After making sure the rifle is unloaded, remove the bolt. Use a simple cleaning and lubricating product to remove the dirt and debris and lubricate the bolt. You’ll want to do the same with the internal components of the action. It might seem pretty basic, but it doesn’t always take very much gunk in the right spot to prevent a bolt from closing. Now, check the screws that hold your action in the stock. There’s generally at least one screw at the front of the magazine and behind the trigger guard. If these screws come loose in the field, you’re in for some serious accuracy problems.

2.Show Your Barrel Some Love

Next, take a cleaning rod and run a patch through your barrel. If the barrel is dirty or you didn’t clean it after your last range session, I’d also run a brush and cleaner through it first. This will help remove carbon debris and copper fouling that hinder accuracy and will help prevent future rusting. You can get a basic cleaning kit from Brownell’s for less than $30, a small price to pay to ensure you get the most out of your rifle hunting for years to come. Some folks get into copper bore cleaners that require a hazmat suit to administer, but for the average hunter it’s really not necessary.

3. Don’t Rush the Range

One thing I have to continually remind myself is that a trip to the range shouldn’t be rushed. Set aside a few hours or an afternoon, enjoy the process, and take your time. Familiarize yourself once again with the nuances of your rifle, from the unique way your bolt runs to the feel of your trigger. Take time to set-up, enjoy the sunshine, and give your rifle plenty of rest in between shots. Not only does slowing down help you focus on proper shot mechanics, it also makes the experience more enjoyable.

4. Believe in the Bench

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve fired my fair share of test shots from the hood of my pickup, but that’s far from ideal. If you want to get the most out of your rifle and ensure that shooter error is subtracted from the equation, it’s paramount to invest in a good bench and rest. My go-to setup is Caldwell’s BR Pivot bench ($450), which breaks down quickly and features heavy-duty tripod legs and a hardwood pivoting top, and a Caldwell Lead Sled ($200) rest that helps mitigate recoil and ensure consistency in shooting. I went without these items for years, but to my own detriment. Check out the options at Brownell’s and get something that works for you.

5. Check Your Optics

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve had screws on my scope mounts fall out, so I’m a stickler for checking screws on my optics. Once I’ve ensured the bases are fastened down securely, I’ll tighten the ring screws again. My current rifle hunting setup is a Mossberg Patriot Bantam rifle in .308 with Leupold VX-3i scope, and with the Leupold mounting system, I’ve got to take the scope off to re-tighten the bases. At the very least I’ll re-tighten the scope ring screws. Once the scope is secured, I’ll readjust the eye relief and check zero with a few shots at 100 yards.

6. Verify Your Loads

I cringe when I see people shoot different loads from year to year without adjusting their scope or at least verifying zero. Sure, you might be shooting minute-of-deer, but that’s hardly acceptable for the sake of a shooter’s confidence or ethical hunting. Because of the physics of barrel harmonics, different loads and different sized bullets will impact at different points, sometimes with a substantial variance. So if I shot a 150-grain Hornady American Whitetail in my.308 last year, I’m going to re-check zero when I switch to the new Hornady ELD-X 178-grain load for this year’s elk season. If there is a substantial difference, I’ll adjust my scope accordingly, with my preference being 2 inches high at 100 yards.

7. Target Practice Makes Perfect

There are many different styles of paper targets, but I’ve used EZ2C rifle targets for several years now. They’re relatively inexpensive (a 12-pack is less than $5), and the 1-inch grid makes scope adjustments easy.

Whatever target you decide on, the important part is that you get out and practice, practice, practice. Remember, you’re not just making sure the rifle is on, you’re making sure you’re still on, too! Work on your breathing, steadiness, and smooth trigger press. Shoot a group of three shots, let the rifle rest, then do it again. Move around in the field and try shots from shooting sticks or field positions. Try to put yourself in a real-world scenario: Range a target, get in position, and make a timely shot. Good luck!

Walther P99 Replica Pistol Paintball Gun Review

When shopping for the best paintball pistol, the first thing to consider is that there are two sizes of these guns to choose from,.68 and.43 caliber..68 caliber pistols use the standard size ammunition found at most commercial fields while.43 caliber guns depend on a much smaller ball that’s a bit harder to find. While.68 caliber paintball pistols are larger and more cumbersome to carry, they are more powerful and shoot much farther than their smaller counterpart. This is an important factor when deciding how you’re going to use your pistol paintball gun in the game. If you’re going to use it as your primary weapon, you will need a.68 caliber marker. If you’re going to use it as a secondary weapon for back up only, a.43 caliber pistol is a great choice.

The P99 paintball pistol marker is an amazing replica of the Walther pistol firearms. As far as realistic paintball guns go, the P99 is as authentic as it gets. The most realistic P99 paintball handgun comes in black, however other colors are available in olive, silver and blue. Different colored P99 pistols only have the top slide as the colored part, while the rest of the gun is black. While the colored pistols are cool looking, the black is by far the most realistic. Besides a nearly identical appearance to the real thing, the Walther P99 paintball gun is also almost exact in weight, feel and action. This pistol marker is mostly made of metal (but has a rubberized grip) so it has a compact, solid feel in your hands and mimics the weight of a real handgun terrifically. Size wise, the P99 pistol is the perfect paintball handgun and is very easy to carry in a belt holster, thigh rig or on the front of a tactical vest. When strapped to the body, the P99 is compact enough so it won’t interfere with your movement or throw off your balance like most of the larger.68 caliber pistols do.

Besides a killer look and feel, the Walther P99 pistol doesn’t disappoint when it comes to performance either. While it may not be the most powerful weapon, the P99 is plenty fast and fun to fire when used in the right capacity. This paintball gun pistol has an effective range of 50 feet or less, perfect for close quarter fighting and room clearing. The smaller.43 caliber rounds it shoots hardly sting like the larger.68 caliber bullets do, so you can play without the usual fear standard size paintball guns tend to elicit. The P99 semi auto paintball handgun has a top slide mechanism that works just like the real thing; you can slide it open to put one ball in the chamber and it jumps back a small amount with every trigger pull. As the top slide kicks back slightly, it also contributes to the gun’s kick, which the P99 does with every shot, but not so much that it throws off the gun’s accuracy; only enough to add to its realism. Another authentic feature is the pistol’s drop out magazines. These slide out/drop from the handle of the gun with the push of a button above the grip, just like the real thing.

Considering the Walther P99 replica paintball pistol is.43 caliber, it doesn’t have a lot of power to shoot far distances. Its compact size makes it perfect for fighting at the front lines, close to the enemy, inside buildings or mock town settings. This gun is intimidating looking but really meant to be used as a secondary weapon. Players who choose this pistol as their only paintball gun should be fast moving, extremely agile and not afraid to mix it up right next to their targets. Besides playing paintball, the P99 is also commonly used by military and law enforcement units for realistic combat simulation training because it so closely imitates the real thing. When equipped with pepper spray rounds, the P99 makes a formidable less lethal weapon for security guards or even prison guards. This same application can even be used as a personal self defense weapon; the compact sized P99 armed with capsaicin rounds will fit nicely in a large purse for a female to carry for protection.

The only drawbacks to the Walther P99 semi automatic paintball pistol is its power. You will be lucky to shoot anything beyond 50 feet with this marker. This means, realistically it should only be used as a secondary gun or when you’re dangerously close to your enemy. As the P99 pistol paintball handgun is incredibly realistic, this puts players in the dilemma of always wanting to use it more but finding they rarely get to. Another slight drawback of this gun is the magazines. While they clip in and fall out easily enough, the small.43 caliber ammo can be difficult for players with larger hands/fingers to load quickly. Carrying only 10 rounds in a clip means you must carry several as you will go through them faster than you think. While they’re small and easy to carry, they’re made out of metal and their weight can add up quickly, becoming more of a burden to keep your load balanced. As far as technical issues or glitches with the P99, there are virtually none as this pistol paintball gun is very sturdy and extremely reliable. The makers of the Walther P99 pistol (Real Action Marker) are also very good, easy to deal with and quick to repair/replace their guns should there be a problem.

Kingdom Business and Marketplace Ministry

What is a Kingdom Business?

First, I like to say there is a distinction between a Christian business and a Kingdom business. What is that distinction?

For starter, any Christian can be in business and many times that’s just what it is, a Christian in business. Most entrepreneurs start businesses so they can generate a profit and long-term wealth for themselves, including Christians.

There’s nothing wrong with this viewpoint on the surface. However, this type of view can give us a tunnel vision for our business. It can also carry the possible dangers of fueling our own greedy nature and make us lose perspective if our business truly belongs to God.

As born-again followers and servants of our King Jesus, we do not simply run a business like any other organization. In other words, the company we own and run is not solely our own. Everything we have actually belong to our King and we are mere stewards here to further His Kingdom.

Simply put, a Kingdom Business is any entity whose main purpose is to utilize gains from doing business in the marketplace to further the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

What is a Marketplace Ministry?

Now that we have a better understanding of what a Kingdom Business is, I would like to address what a Marketplace Ministry is.

In a nutshell, Marketplace Ministry is God’s strategic plan to reach our world for Jesus through our work or business. Ministry takes place outside the four walls of our church. We spend many countless hours a week in the workplace and how we spend our time should matter.

Many of us Christians often feel detached from the true reality of Sunday worship when compared to the daily grind of our regular work week. We have a hard time when it comes to the integration of our faith and the business world.

Christians, just like anyone else, spend most of their time in the marketplace. Our marketplace ranges from home, business, and community. It’s basically wherever we are engaging with others.

God desires to use Christians as a living testimony to reach those who are lost and don’t know Him. We are God’s people whom He chooses to use as instruments of change in a fallen and corrupted world.

Why Build An Email List?

Some Christians are reluctant to build an email list due to the fact that it can feel really pushy and self-promotional. It feels a lot more like marketing and much less like ministry.

The biggest and worst mistake you can make with your online business whether it’s a Christian one or otherwise is to not develop an e-mail list. Perhaps you’ve heard the term “The Money is in the List” before? This is true even if it’s a non-profit service. By the way, the purpose of any business is to earn a profit.

Well, let me back up just a little bit. It’s not so much as “The Money is in the List”, but as a Christian building a Kingdom Business and bringing your ministry to the marketplace your email list is the best way to connect with your audience. Also, an e-mail list will be your most valuable asset as it’s the only thing that really belongs to you even if you have nothing to sell it’ll allow you to communicate with your subscribers directly.

It’s not a system that belongs to the proprietors such as all the social media platforms. For example, if you were to build a bunch of followers on Facebook or Twitter but never capture their email, how will you contact your audience if the platform bans you or the platform no longer exist?

When To Build An Email List and Who Should Be On Your List?

When? – An old Chinese proverb reads “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

Who? – Most people or “your tribe” if you will, do not provide their email address to just any person, so if someone gets on your list, they have currently shown that they know, like and also trust you to some degree already and those are the ones you want on your list.

Building an authentic email list will require you to recognize the needs of your target audience and simply fulfilling that need. These are the people you are building your email list for.

How To Build an Email List

To begin the list building process you’ll need to create an account with a list management service, such as Aweber, GetResponse, or Mailchimp.

Alternatively, you can go with a self-hosted autoresponder if you are more tech-savvy. I do recommend Aweber as I find it the most user-friendly in my opinion.

The most basic way to entice someone to fill out a subscriber form so that they can get on your email list is to create an “Opt-in Freebie”. The opt-in freebie can be almost anything you want it to be such as, an eBook, Free Report, Check List, a “How To” guide, etc. just so there’s some perceived value there.

You would present your opt-in freebie in the form of a webpage or pop-up box. This is your ethical bribe if you will, in exchange for a person’s name and email address. Once the subscriber is on your list, you deliver what you promised them.

We do this by way of setting up an autoresponder. This can be easily done through your list management service. Remember to keep your follow-up messages or newsletter relevant to your offer and mission.

Your next step is to secure a professional autoresponder account of your own, so that you can begin to build to an email list for your Kingdom Business and Marketplace Ministry.

1940’s Women’s Fashion Inventions

1940’s Women’s fashion was a time of great restrictions on design, fabric, and trim materials. The war forced clothing designs to be simple yet it also forced manufactures to be creative with what they could use and invent new materials. The 1940’s brought about new women’s fashion inventions many of which are still around today.

  1. The girdle. Prior to the 1940’s a women’s shape was made by metal boned corsets. In the 1940’s the girdle was invented as a form of tummy tuck underwear. It shaped just the middle down to the hips and created the smooth hourglass silhouette associated with vintage fashions. The girdle was uncomfortable and was eventually replaced by nylons or no shaping undergarment at all. Today the girdle returns with body shapers, control top stockings, control top underwear and other suck and smooth foundation garments. They name may have changed but these garments are just updated girdles in disguise.
  2. Wedge shoes. Leather and wood was needed for the war so shoe designs had to get creative. The solution was cork. A cork sole was used for shoe heels and then wrapped in a pretty fabric, mesh or even reptile skin. It was economical and allowed a taller heel then what was considered a safe heeled pump. Today wedgies come in and out of fashion, particularly in summer, when wedge sandals hit the beaches.
  3. Rayon. If you didn’t know, Rayon is a synthetic fabric. It was invented and became very popular in the 1940’s. Up till then wool, silk, and cotton was what clothing was made of. Silk and cotton were needed for the war so Rayon was used instead. It could be lightweight like silk or heavy like wool. Today rayon is still used in fine fabrics, especially in summer.
  4. Nylons. Prior to the 40’s women’s stockings were made of silk. They were very delicate and needed frequent mending and hand washing. Dupont then invented nylon and thus “Nylons” became a brand name for stockings. Today nylon is still used to make all kinds of hosiery and fabrics.
  5. The Zipper. Thanks to new inventions of the 1940’s women can zip up clothing instead of using buttons, snaps or lacing.
  6. Plastic. Although various forms of plastic had been around since the 1920’s it wasn’t until the 1940’s that they really took center stage in the fashion world. Jewelry was made of Bakelite plastic in big colorful designs. Handbags, makeup case, and household items were being made of Lucite. You may not recognize these plastic names but I am sure you are aware that plastic is everywhere in fashion- from cute barrettes to zippers to purse handles.
  7. Shoulder pads. You may think that the 1980’s were the first decade to use shoulder bags. They actually go back much farther than the 1940’s but as a regular fashion accessory for women the 1940’s were the first. They used shoulder pads in dresses, jackets, and blouses in order to square off the shoulder for a boxy military feel. The 1980’s were heavily influenced by 1940’s fashion and thus shoulder pads came back in style.

Fashion Marketing Planning

What’s in a fashion marketing campaign?

 

This article explores the components of a fashion marketing plan and how fashion brands can enhance their marketing strategy. Fashion marketing is concerned with meeting the needs, wants, and demands of your targeted consumer, and these goals are accomplished using the marketing mix.

Fashion marketing is distinct from fashion public relations in that fashion PR is solely concerned with communications and how the brand communicates with and resonates with it’s targeted consumers.

A fashion marketing plan focuses on four essential concepts: 1) product development, 2) distribution management, 3) communications, and 4) cost. In order to implement an effective marketing campaign, the marketing mix must be consumer centric and focused on niche markets rather than catering to mass markets. This concept simply means that the marketing strategy and implementation should have consumers and their needs, wants, and demands in the forefront and with a very defined market that it intends to target.

Niche marketing is more focused and cost-effective and allows the marketer to focus on a particular market segment. Otherwise, a mass marketing campaign is all over the place and lacks a defined consumer to market to.

As an example, imagine if the luxury brand Louis Vuitton was a mass retailer and did not cater to a niche market. Essentially, this would mean that Louis Vuitton would market its products to the masses, when in fact this is unrealistic. Louis Vuittton’s price point does not allow the brand to cater to the masses, which is why the brand channels all of its marketing communications to the luxury market. However, that does not mean that the brand is off limits to consumers who do not exactly fall into the luxury market; it just means that the communications strategy and the brand identity would resonate more with consumers in the luxury market. This approach allows the business to remain competitive and effective in its strategic approach.

Components of a Fashion Marketing Plan

 

1)  Product Development

The most important component of the product development phase is not the product itself. The product is just the byproduct of this phase. The most important component of this phase are the consumers. Consumers dictate all the components of the marketing plan, and consequently, dictates what the product is. Keep in mind that today’s highly competitive global marketplace requires that businesses are consumer centric and focus on serving consumer’s needs. Consumers dictate what the pricing strategy will be, the points of distribution, the communications strategy, and the final product outcome. In the example given above regarding Louis Vuitton, the targeted consumers dictate what the associated cost and value will be for the brand.

There are two orientations of the product development phase. The business can be product-oriented and choose to develop products first then market it to its targeted markets. Alternatively, the business can be more market-oriented and segment its markets first to determine their specific needs, wants, and demands then create the product to meet those wants.

Due to the transient nature of the fashion industry, fashion marketers are under short marketing cycles since product needs are seasonal. As the seasons change so do trends and tastes. Consequently, marketers are required to constantly adjust their product offerings with time.

2) Price: Cost vs Value

The pricing strategy strictly relies on the market segmentation. With a consumer centric marketing focus, the pricing strategy would take into account the associated costs to the consumer and the value afforded to the consumer. Pricing may vary based on the market segment and their perceived value of the product or brand. A consumer buying a luxury brand perceives the product to be more valuable and in turn is willing to pay more for the product compared to a price-sensitive consumer or a product that is mass produced with minimal differentiation.

3) Distribution Management

The distribution strategy determines the convenience and availability of the product. Traditional distribution channels for fashion brands include branded flagship stores, independent retailers, department stores, and online distribution. The more distribution channels used the more intense the brand’s exposure and the greater the availability to consumer markets.

4) Promotions & Communications

The promotional strategy entails how the brand will attract its buyers and the series of activities used to communicate to the targeted consumers. The activities in this phase include developing the brand and its identity, sales promotions, public relations, product placement, advertising, event marketing, and sponsorships.