Hello once again my good people. I’ve just finished a cardio set and I thought I’d relax and cool down by writing a little article about rifles today. So where did rifles come from? What does rifle even mean? Well, up until about the 1850’s, guns were made with a “smooth bore”, meaning that the inside of a guns barrel was just a smooth tube. They fired a smooth ball down the smooth tube and hoped like hell it hit what they were pointing it at. This is the reason for many of the military tactics you may have heard of or seen in historical films. A smooth-bore gun just didn’t have much long distance accuracy. So what happened? Well they figured out that you could inlay grooves which spiral down the length of a guns barrel (called “rifling”) which would impart a spin on the projectile which would make it much more aerodynamic, accurate and deadly. Instead of tumbling end over end, or in random directions, rifled projectiles spin much like a spiraling football and increased lethal accuracy by literally hundreds of yards. During the civil war, these modernized weapons were employed in combination to revolutionary war era tactics with horrendous casualties as a result. In modern applications the rifle can be your best friend when it comes to dropping a zombie or 20 from as far away as possible! Let’s take a look at some of my favorite rifles for zombie removal.

The Remington 700

This rifle is world renowned for its accuracy and reliability. Whether on the shooting range, in a tree stand or on the front lines of WWZ, this is a bolt action firearm you want to get your hands on. You can pick one up with a factory scope, or add one of your own depending on your personal preferences. This rifle is available in a variety of calibers (from .243 all the way to .300 Ultra Mag) making it friendly for shooters of all ages and sizes. The 700 model is made with a durable synthetic stock as well as weather resistant blued barrel. If you haven’t fired one of these, you need to give it a try.

The POF-USA AR Tactical Rifle

When you need to send some serious rounds down-range, the POF-USA .223 is one of the finest shooting firearms available. It’s a gas piston operated semi-automatic that provides reliable firing without the need for as much maintenance as its counterparts (HOORAY for less that can go wrong!). As Murphy’s Law states “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong” so having a firearm that takes a few of those possible “wrongs” out of the equation is ALWAYS a good idea. The POF-USA also comes in a .308 version, for when you really, REALLY want to be as far away from your target as possible.

The Marlin Model 336

In “Shaun of the Dead” the pub was called “The Winchester”…well it should’ve been called “The Marlin”, because this is the best lever-action rifle you can get your hands on. The 336 has walnut stocks and pistol grips, which raises the hardcore level by a factor of 3. Should you run out of ammo, you can easily convert one of these rifles into a zombie wrecking club of epic proportions. Never mind that though, let’s stockpile some ammo and talk about why this rifle kicks ass at its intended functions. The Marlin has a 20” barrel with 12 microgroove rifling, which makes for one long range, dead on accurate piece of firepower. This bad mamma jamma also comes in a stainless steel version! Finally our folks in Seattle, WA or Highlands, NC can have a rifle that won’t lock up on them after 2 nights in the field. The solid top receivers on both versions of the 336 are tapped for scope mounts, but also come standard with folding buckhorn rear sights, if you’re into that sort of thing (I know I am!).

After all this rifle talk, I’m sure I’ll see you guys and gals at the long distance lanes down at the shooting range this weekend! That’s where I’ll be! Happy hunting.

Do you have any rifle recommendations? We want to hear it! Tell us in the comments below.

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