Good Stuff

Diamond D Outdoors introduces their Denali Chest Holster providing a comfortable
and practical method of carrying a handgun in the backcountry.

It’s not too often we encounter new products for handgun hunters. When something new hits the radar screen, inquiring minds want to know more. This is especially true when the product is practical and useful.

In the past I’ve written about Diamond D Custom Leather and their Guides Choice holster. I have worn this holster considerably. This is a well-designed, across-the-chest leather holster from innovative folks who live in Alaska, where fishing streams are often visited by bears. These individuals know from experience what works under actual field conditions. Now they’ve launched a new business — Diamond D Outdoors. Their new venture introduces the Denali Chest Holster with the same attention to detail in a 1050 ballistic nylon version.

Diamond D Outdoors offers their new holster to accommodate optics commonly found on today’s revolvers — it’ll be the new home for my S&W Model 686 with a reflex sight. Both their 5.5″ and 7.5″ Denali Chest Holsters come with a six-round cartridge carrier incorporated in the shoulder strap. Unlike some holsters of this type, it didn’t require an engineer to figure out how to put it on. Nor did I have to enlist the help of my neighbor and his three kids to help me adjust it. I found this holster most comfortable while situated in the center of my chest. This works perfectly when wearing a backpack. The core of your body carries all the weight, not your shoulder or hip. If desired, the holster can easily slide under the arm when you carry binoculars.

My test model featured high density foam and was super strong. The holster is fully adjustable, and 10 sizes are available for both semi-autos and revolvers. A safety strap fits over the hammer and holds the gun firmly in place so if you take off running or bend over, no worries. When properly fitted, I could easily draw the revolver with one hand. It didn’t take long to see this Denali Chest Holster would be ideal for hiking the backcountry or fishing along Alaskan streams with bears present.

HSM Low Recoil ammo is ideal for recoil sensitive shooters. This ammo features
Sierra bullets and keeps the dreaded flinch at bay.

Avoiding The Flinch

If you’ve ever developed a flinch in your shooting career, you know how much it affects your shooting. Overcoming this proverbial jerk can be quite the undertaking. The best way to address this problem is avoiding it in the first place.

Recently my wife has been shooting a Nosler pistol in 6.5 Creedmoor and I didn’t want her to develop a flinch. Luckily, I discovered HSM low recoil factory ammo. HSM partnered with Sierra to offer a full standard weight hunting bullet with over 50% less recoil. This rather unique ammo features a distinct HSM orange polymer tip bullet. It’s pleasant to shoot for extended range sessions, plus it is extremely accurate in the Nosler pistol.

HSM offers their low recoil ammo in several popular calibers including 243 Win., 7mm-08 and .308 Win. This HSM low recoil ammo provides a great way to practice with standard hunting weight bullets and may help avoid the dreaded flinch commonly gained from magnum rounds.

It’s important to get headspace sizing right. Hornady and Redding offer
comparators and shellholders to help you nail the dimensions.

Just For Handloaders

For single-shot handguns, getting the correct headspace for your handloads is essential. One item I won’t be without on my loading table is Hornady’s Lock-N-Load Headspace Comparator Kit. When full-length resizing, how do you know how much to bump the shoulder? You can take a wild guess or you can determine exactly how much is needed with this most practical kit. Without going into detail, Hornady provides instructions even a cave man like me can follow. The company states this process will extend brass life, improve accuracy and enhance safety. I concur.

Once you determine the amount of shoulder bump, Redding’s Competition Shellholder Set is another most beneficial tool. This set includes five shell holders, each marked with an identification number: .002, .004, .006, .008 and .010. This set eliminates the continuing process of adjusting your die body. Redding’s instructions clearly detail how to properly size your cases to fit your specific firearm’s chamber with minimal shoulder bump. This process is important with single-shot handguns. After using Redding Reloading dies and other precision tools they provide, my handloads are optimized.

Hornady’s O.A.L. Gage is another accessory most helpful when it comes to proper seating depth. This tool, along with Hornady’s Bullet Comparator and inserts set, helps determine precise measurements for bullet seating depth.

There are gadgets with shelf appeal, then there are useful, beneficial tools to enhance ammo performance. Redding and Hornady enhance the handloading process.

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