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DOSKOCIL ALL-WEATHER CASE
If you spend anytime hunting on or near the water for bear or deer, you should investigate a insurance policy for your rifle. You can choose the type that covers replacement costs, but this doesn't do you any good when you are on a hunt, and lose your rifle.
I lost my rifle last year, when the charter boat we hired sunk in a storm. Although the rifles were saved by the quick actions of my hunting partner, Larry Suiter, they were nevertheless ruined from exposure to saltwater. I had to wait a year for the insurance company to pay up and resurrect my 338 rifle and optics at a cost of over $2,000.
Fortunately, the insurance I'm talking about doesn't cost a 10th of this amount, and will ensure your rifle is protected from salt, spray, submersion and all the other factors that can destroy or adversely affect your hunting rifle.
I obtained a Doskocil all-weather, two-rifle case for use in 1995. I could kick myself for not obtaining one years ago.
The case is like the waterproof Pelican cases so many of us are familiar with, only one step better. The Doskocil is designed to carry two scoped rifles, plus the case has a continuous O-ring seal and low-profile pressure-relief valve. It is watertight. Store your gun in it when on the water, and it will float to shore rather than sink to the bottom, should your boat capsize. And not a drop of saltwater will leak in through the O-ring, provided you keep it clean of hairs and other grit that can cause leakage.
Six latches provide maximum security and durable-ribbed construction. This will keep your rifle on-target, despite the strong-arm tactics of airline baggage handlers.
The case is lighter in weight than heavy-duty aluminum or steel cases, and is lockable. Dense foam insert allows you to custom cut a silhouette of your rifle so it fits snugly and smoothly. I use the case to carry my rifle and walking ax, and both didn't budge an inch in my hunting travels via commercial airline. Far superior to the cheaper cases using waffle-foam, the Model 10809 should be on your Christmas list if you want the best, on-site insurance for your rifle. With proper care, the case will last a lifetime of hunting travel.
For more information, contact Doskocil Manufacturing, POB 1246, Arlington, TX 76004-1246 (817)-467-5116.
MILLET SHOOTING REST
I was tired of using sandbags and wadded up jackets in sighting in my rifle this year. And because I was having a bad day, I wasn't eager to try the Benchmaster Shooting Rest that crossed my desk. In mid-afternoon, I decided to call it a day and tossed the Millet Rest into my truck and made a quick trip to the shooting range.
The Benchmaster is a lightweight, two-piece rest system that fits into itself, saving space. Formed to your foregrip and stock, the rest has a soft surface that protects gun finishes, as well as provide a solid base for scope adjustment and cleaning. There's nothing I dislike more than to have my rifle roll off a sandbag, banging the scope on the metal tabletop or perhaps scratching the rifle's finish.
The rest allowed me to shoot 1/4-inch groupings at 100 yards with my refurbished 338. I also took it with me afield for a scope check prior to each hunt. The Benchmaster provided a solid, comfortable base that an available stump or tussock just can't match.
For more information, write: Millet Sights, 16131 Gothard St, Huntington beach, CA 92647 (714) 847-5245.
Excerpted from The Alaska Hunter, Copyright, 2004, Alaska Hunter Publications.
This page last updated: November 06, 2004