A peek at the 2012 NWTF
Guns of the Year
It's an exciting time in the hunting year when the NWTF announces the selection of the Guns of the Year featured at Hunting Heritage Banquets throughout the country. This year is especially exciting for me as two of the guns are firearms I have used and know to be winners.
2012 Rifle of the Year — Benelli R1
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The Benelli R1 is a great choice for big game hunters, especially those who want an auto-loading rifle. It displays all the style, balance and attention to detail expected of a fine European hunting rifle.
This rifle was first developed for wild boar hunting in Europe, but quickly caught on in the U.S. as an all-around big game rifle.
My first hunt with the .30-06 Springfield R1 was for mule deer in Colorado. I range tested the rifle beforehand and found it would shoot a .53-inch group when matched with the right ammo.
The hunt was a week long in a mixture of rain and snow, and the rifle held up well. The moment of truth came when a tall-antlered buck came within range at 173 yards. The deer went down with one shot. I have used the rifle since on wild hogs and many deer hunts with equal satisfaction.
The NWTF Benelli R1 is offered in .30-06 Springfield and is equipped with the ComforTech recoil-dampening stock along with Benelli's ultra-reliable auto-regulated gas operating system to reduce felt recoil. The NWTF rifle features a walnut stock with the NWTF logo and motto "Conserve. Hunt. Share."
2012 Shotgun of the Year — Browning Silver Hunter 20-gauge
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I have depended on Browning shotguns for more than four decades, so it was no surprise to learn the 2012 Shotgun of the Year is the Browning Silver Hunter 20-gauge. This 3-inch chambered Active Valve gas operated, auto-loading shotgun is one of the softest recoiling shotguns available. It has a matte silver aluminum alloy receiver designed with the semi-humpbacked silhouette for which Browning is known. It reliably cycles a wide range of loads and comes with three Invector-Plus choke tubes. The checkered, satin-finished stock and fore-end on this shotgun are upgraded and the barrel has a vented rib. It weighs about 6½ pounds and has a 14¼-inch length of pull.
The limited-edition high performance shotgun features the NWTF logo on one side and "Conserve. Hunt. Share." on the other.
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2012 Pistol of the Year —
Remington 1911 R1
The 1911-style pistol in .45ACP caliber is probably the most popular pistol in the U.S. It is one of my favorite styles, having used it since my early days in the military and as my chosen pistol to carry today.
I have spent some time on the range with the Remington version of the 1911 pistol and have found it to be very reliable and accurate — thanks in part to its crisp trigger — with a variety of ammunition. The semiautomatic Remington 1911 R1 is produced with ultra-tight tolerances using modern materials. This 7-shot big-bore features a stainless 5-inch barrel, satin black-oxide finish and double-diamond walnut grips. It has dovetailed front and rear sights and precision-machined slide and frame.
The NWTF logo and "2012 Gun of the Year" are engraved and highlighted in gold on the slide.
2012 JAKES Gun of the Year — Weatherby Vanguard Youth
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When I was a youngster, I dreamed of one day owning a real Weatherby rifle. I read about them in outdoor magazines and wished aloud for a youth version of the famous rifles.
Finally, there is a youth Weatherby, the NWTF 2012 JAKES Gun of the Year. The Weartherby Vanguard Youth, in .243 Winchester, has all the features of the standard Vanguard, and it's designed to grow with the shooter. The synthetic stock features a removable, elongated spacer to adjust the length of pull from 12½-inches to 13 5⁄8-inches. It has a 20-inch barrel, weighs 6½-pounds and sports a 5-shot magazine, fully adjustable trigger and low-density recoil pad. With an overall length of 38 inches, it is ideal for a small-framed shooter.
The rifle comes with the NWTF logo, and all Weatherby rifles are guaranteed to shoot 1½-inch or better three-shot groups at 100 yards from a cold barrel when used with premium ammunition. — J. Wayne Fears