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Retay USA Unveils Air Control Extreme (ACE): Redefining Shotgun Performance for Waterfowl Hunters

Easton, Md. (January 2025) – RETAY USA, the North American sales and distribution for RETAY ARMS, makers of innovative shotguns,...
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Longthorne Guns’ New Peregrine Barrels Shift the Balance of Power

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Gear Up for Late-Season Hunts with Dryshod’s Evalusion Hunt Max Gusset Boots

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MidwayUSA Foundation Teams Up with SK Guns for Giving Tuesday

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Team Krieghoff Delivers at NSCA National Championships

Retay USA Unveils Air Control Extreme (ACE): Redefining Shotgun Performance for Waterfowl Hunters

Easton, Md. (January 2025) – RETAY USA, the North American sales and distribution for RETAY ARMS, makers of innovative shotguns, is proud to introduce the Air Control Extreme (ACE), the next generation in Inertia Plus™ shotguns, designed specifically to meet the needs of the most demanding waterfowl hunters.

Built on the legacy of the Masai Mara and enhanced with 16 all-new performance features, the ACE is engineered to deliver reliability, innovation, and value. Available in Summer 2025, this new offering will be on display at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 21 – 24, 2024, at RETAY USA’s Booth 70743 in Caesars Forum.  Everyone has different tastes, so RETAY made the ACE in a style to suit the individual shooter’s preference. The ACE lineup includes two distinctive receiver designs – a standard “slope back” receiver and a slight “humpback” version called the TYPE-R – allowing hunters to choose the style that best fits their preference. Both designs share the same premium features and internal parts with only a slight difference in appearance, as the ACE TYPE-R features a slightly raised receiver for enhanced handling.  

“The ACE and ACE TYPE-R were created with our customer’s needs in mind, combining the features they loved about our Masai Mara with significant upgrades that elevate the hunting experience,” commented Christian Handy, CEO of Banshee Brands, Inc. “With the ACE, we’ve delivered a premium shotgun that is not only highly functional but also accessible for hunters of all levels.”  

The improved light load cycling ensures consistent performance across the broadest range of shells of any RETAY shotgun. The cut-out loading port facilitates easy and quick reloading, while the improved Inertia Plus blot design enhances reliability and reduces cycling friction. The ACE is compatible with Benelli extended magazine tubes and Crio Plus chokes, offering greater versatility. The stainless steel recoil buffer spring ensures long-term durability and corrosion resistance.  The recoil-reducing “Airy” Recoil Pad, combined with a soft stock comb pad, reduces felt recoil by 30 percent for a more comfortable shooting experience. The receiver is drilled and tapped to accept Benelli rail mounts, allowing for easy installation of scopes or red dot sights. The redesigned ergonomic stock and forend provide a more comfortable and secure grip. The adjustable length of pull, utilizing the Airy Pad System, allows for customization to fit different shooters. The oversized easy-grip forend cap enhances control and maneuverability. The reversible safety button is easily adaptable for left- or right-handed users. The redesigned oversized charging handle offers improved leverage and ease of operation. The no-snag buffer tail prevents the buffer from snagging on clothing or gear. Finally, the oversized bolt release provides a larger target for quick and positive operation.  

The ACE and ACE TYPE-R are available in 12GA 3.5,” 20GA 3,” and 28GA 3” configurations, with a choice of drilled 28” or 26” barrels featuring optimized forcing cones. The MSRP starts at $1,049, making this advanced shotgun an attainable option for waterfowl enthusiasts everywhere. Both models come with RETAY’s limited lifetime warranty, ensuring peace of mind for years to come.  

ACE and ACE TYPE-R Specifications:   Caliber: 12ga 3.5,” 20ga 3,” 28ga 3” Action: Inertia (Inertia Plus™) Barrel: Drilled 28” or 26” Optimized Forcing Cone Magazine Capacity: 3+1 Sights: Single Fiber Optic Bead Drilled and Tapped: Yes Trigger Group: Push Button Removable LOP: 14.5” includes SHIM Kit MSRP: $1,049   For more information on RETAY USA visit the website, Facebook page, Instagram page, or YouTube page.

Longthorne Guns’ New Peregrine Barrels Shift the Balance of Power

At the Dallas Safari Club Convention in Atlanta held January 11-14, we ran into Longthorne Guns’  Managing Director, James Longthorne Stewart. The English gunmaker was showing, for the first time, their new 12-gauge Peregrine barrels.

The barrels’ name pays homage to the Peregrine Falcon because the raptor, as James put it, “is fast, deadly and accurate.”

Longthorne established a reputation for innovation through advanced barrel manufacturing. The company started milling shotgun barrels from a single steel billet in 2006 and by 2010 released their first products to market. Longthorne has since applied that patented process to titanium and Damascus-steel, and beyond that is currently developing a three-pound, 28-gauge all-titanium, over/under.

In their stand at DSC, James explained that through innovative engineering they were able to change the handling dynamics of a Longthorne from a swing to more of a rotation for a smoother and more controllable shotgun.

The 33-inch barrels feature a “reverse mid-rib,” according to James. The top rib, which has the design elements of a competition gun, starts at 8mm at the breach and widens to 10mm “for a better sighting plane.”

The goal of the new design was to shift the balance of the barrels more toward the receiver. “By moving the weight of the barrels closer to the breach, the gun rotates more than swings,” James explained. “We moved the inertia towards the back of the gun.”

He elaborated that peak barrels pressure is now about eight inches from the breach and starts to decrease as the payload moves midway through the barrels. By decreasing the pressure, Longthorne was able to make the barrels thinner toward the middle, but soon returns to the thicker inner bore as the pressure starts to increase again at the muzzle. Overall, the design yields a more balanced field and clays gun.

Longthorne’s Peregrin barrels will be available in both fixed constrictions and multi-choke options.

–Irwin Greenstein

For more details visit https://www.longthorneguns.com

Gear Up for Late-Season Hunts with Dryshod’s Evalusion Hunt Max Gusset Boots

Conklin, NY — Dryshod, the new benchmark in performance waterproof footwear for outdoor recreation and occupational use, expands its innovative Evalusion hunting boot series with the introduction of the new Evalusion Max Gusset. With the Evalusion Max Gusset, the world’s lightest waterproof hunting boot is even more comfortable and accommodating for the stealthy hunter and outdoor adventurer.

Shifting clothing requirements due to changes in weather or hunting needs means conventional neoprene boot uppers may be too tight and uncomfortable. Those with larger calves also balk at the often too-tight fit of single-size uppers. The Evalusion Max Gusset solves this problem with its rear gusset and buckle system. The rubber gusset easily expands to provide room for extra clothing layers during cold-weather outings and to accommodate outdoor enthusiasts with more sizeable calves. The adjustable strap can then be secured for a just-right fit to provide all-day comfort, whether sitting in a stand or walking the most aggressive terrain.

Adding to the Evalusion Max Gusset’s exceptional comfort is Dryshod’s DUREVA™ outsole. Weighing nearly a full pound lighter than Dryshod’s already lightweight comparable boots, the DUREVA™ outsole employs a fusion compound that eliminates the need for a secondary rubber sole while delivering maximum stability and energy return to reduce fatigue. What’s more, the multi-lug tread design is both tough and pliable, ensuring high traction on challenging ground and quiet flexing over ground elements to enhance stealth.

Temperature control is always a factor with 100-percent waterproof boots, and the Evalusion Max Gusset comes ready for any climate or activity. Layered beneath the 5mm DENSOPRENE® foam bootie is a four-way stretch breathable Airmesh lining that promotes airflow to maximize insulation during cold weather while minimizing moisture build up during warm, high-activity conditions. The integrated polar fleece lining offers a broad comfort range from -50°F to 65°F.

The Evalusion Max Gusset comes with a Hydrokote™ camo upper that ensures water rolls off the calf pipe, eliminating the soggy uppers typical of most neoprene-style waterproof boots. Additional features include a natural rubber shell, roll-down calf pipe, steel shank, and a sturdy tuck board sub-sole.

For more information on the new Evalusion Max Gusset or to see the company’s full line of waterproof footwear, visit DryshodUSA.com.

About Dryshod

The team behind Dryshod was the first to develop the bootie-style neoprene-and-rubber boot category over 20 years ago. Now they have elevated protective footwear performance through the application of advanced materials, field-proven construction techniques, and purpose-built designs—all to ensure Dryshod consumers receive the highest quality, best performing, and most comfortable waterproof boots for any task or adventure. Dryshod’s mission is to provide farmers, hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone who works or plays in wet, sloppy, and cold conditions with the most durable, reliable and comfortable 100-percent waterproof footwear available. To learn more about the Dryshod Waterproof Footwear difference, visit DryshodUSA.com.

MidwayUSA Foundation Teams Up with SK Guns for Giving Tuesday

Nov. 6, 2024 – Columbia, MO – MidwayUSA Foundation is preparing for its most substantial fundraising day of the year, Giving Tuesday. This year, the public charity that funds America’s youth shooting teams hopes to raise $500,000 in just one day. Giving Tuesday is December 3, the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Every tax-deductible donation made to a youth shooting team endowment will be matched, thanks to Larry and Brenda Potterfield.

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Team Krieghoff Delivers at NSCA National Championships

November 18, 2024 — Brandon Powell wins the NSCA National Championship for 2nd Year in a row. Karen Miles wins Lady Champion title.

“The entire shooting team came into Nationals feeling great about the ’24 season, with recent regional wins under their belts both Brandon and Karen were hammering targets to finish the season on the podium again. This was Brandon’s second and consecutive National’s win, while Karen won the Ladies Main HOA, she was the 5-Stand Lady Champion, FITASC Lady Champion, and the 2024 Championship Tour Lady Champion, an awesome event for her. Braxton Oliver won the Team’s title event; The K-Kup, with a top score of 99. A junior team shooter Turner Parcell rocked the old guard by winning the Runner-Up spot in the Main Event following his Runner Up win at the last regional. He also delivered the K-Kup Junior Championship title. The excitement was crazy, it was the largest attendance for a National Sporting Clays event, and the K-Kup had over 1,900 entries. It’s the largest 100-bird event in the country,” said Krieghoff Sporting Team Manager Mike Luongo, who also captured the 28 Gauge Overall award for 3rd Place.

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Bettinsoli USA Supports Youth Shooting Sports Through Multiple Programs Offered by MidwayUSA Foundation

Leaders within the outdoor industry continue to step up and support MidwayUSA Foundation and the industry’s future. With a mission to help communities and organizations raise funds for their high school and college youth shooting teams, MidwayUSA Foundation relies on the support of retailers and suppliers in the outdoor space. Bettinsoli USA is a long-time sponsor that has assisted with a variety of programs to ensure youth shooting programs have quality items for their fundraising efforts.

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Tom Beckbe and Ducks Unlimited Partner to Launch Conservation-Focused Apparel Line

Tom Beckbe, the renowned purveyor of timeless and functional outdoor gear, is excited to announce a long-term partnership with Ducks Unlimited (DU), the nation’s leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. As part of this collaboration, Tom Beckbe will launch a collection of fine sporting apparel and durable outdoor gear for Fall 2025 that proudly bears the Ducks Unlimited trademark. 

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Pheasants Forever Receives $25 Million to Advance Montana Grasslands Initiative

Pheasants Forever is excited to announce plans for conservation efforts on 120,000 acres of working lands and wildlife habitat in Montana over the next five years. The project – Montana Grasslands and Wildlife Corridors – was recently funded at $25 million by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

“This funding is a tremendous step forward for the Montana Grasslands Initiative and will allow us to dramatically impact conservation in our state,” said Pheasants Forever’s Montana state coordinator, Hunter VanDonsel. “Grasslands are the most imperiled landscape on the planet, and it’s vital we do everything we can to protect what remains. We’re very honored to receive this opportunity from the NRCS.”

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Holland & Holland Announces John Henderson as New General Manager

We are delighted to announce the appointment of a new General Manager, John Henderson. John, who will transition into the role early in 2025, has extensive knowledge of the field sports sector. He brings 28-years of experience to Holland & Holland from Pure Fishing, where he achieved significant success as Managing Director.

John began his career in the factory of Royal Warrant holders Hardy of Alnwick, a subsidiary of Pure Fishing, where he became accustomed to the intricacies of crafting items regarded as the pinnacle in their field. John’s extensive experience across the Pure Fishing group includes Quality Manager, Brand Business Manager and Commercial Director.

John Henderson, an enthusiastic shot, said of his appointment, “A company that holds such respect and prestige does not happen without an exceptional team of dedicated and skilled people. I am honoured to be joining this team and look forward to supporting them in driving this eminent brand into the future.”

https://www.hollandandholland.com

OPTIMISM IS IN THE AIR

This year, we’re hearing promising reports across quail country. Despite some regional challenges, accounts from many states suggest that habitat efforts are paying off and weather has been cooperative. From the lush fields of the Midwest to the rugged deserts of the Southwest, quail populations appear to be holding strong – even bouncing back in some key areas.

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