Erik Cortina is a champion F-class shooter, founder of Cortina Precision, and the guy behind the Ethical Hunter Challenge: a deer silhouette with a 1 MOA kill zone at 500 yards and one cold bore shot with no sighters. Erik started hunting in Texas, had a sobering experience regarding the limitations of his skills as a shooter on a Colorado elk hunt, and got hooked on F-class shooting in an effort to improve his long range shooting skills. Today, we talk about what F-class actually teaches a hunter, why he started his so called "ethical hunter challenge", why the first-shot hit rate is so low, and some recommendations on how hunters can determine their own max range on a deer.

Sponsor: Support me on Patreon receive ad-free episodes of the podcast delivered a day early (Wednesday instead of Thursday). Plus, you'll start to receive the other bonuses I deliver to supporters there. Sign up at Patreon.com/biggamehunter.

Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

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Resources

Ethical Hunter Challenge – See how these shooters perform on the Ethical Hunter Challenge

Subscribe to Erik Cortina's YouTube channel here

Hornady's Seth Swerczek returns to break down the company's late-2026 / 2027 new product lineup, led by the long-awaited 6.8 Western Precision Hunter load with the new 176-grain ELD-X (0.680 G1 BC, ~2,825 fps). We cover how retailer shelf space and consumer demand finally got the cartridge into the Hornady catalog, the ballistic performance of the high-BC bullet, factory ammo + component bullet + brass availability, and the realistic odds of a future Outfitter CX load. Seth also walks us through the rest of their new 2027 offerings, continued 375/416 Ruger support, likelihood of a 25 PRC, and how the ongoing powder shortage continues to affect 7 PRC velocities.

Sponsor: Support me on Patreon receive ad-free episodes of the podcast delivered a day early. Plus, you'll start to receive the other bonuses I deliver to supporters there. Sign up at Patreon.com/biggamehunter.

Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

Check out the Hornady YouTube channel & the Hornady Podcast to learn more about their new offerings

5 Underrated Cartridges That Deserve Respect

This episode of the Big Game Hunting Podcast covers the whole 30-06 family: 25-06 Remington, 6.5-06, 270 Winchester, 280 Remington, 280 Ackley Improved, 30-06 Springfield, 8mm-06, 338-06, and 35 Whelen. You'll learn why the 270 was a big hit, why the 280 wasn't, why two A-Square rounds got a SAAMI stamp and then vanished, and what each remaining sibling is best for in 2026.

What's your favorite round of the bunch? Answer the poll on YouTube or Spotify. Want more episodes like this (like for the 308 family or the Winchester Magnums) next? Email me at john@thebiggamehuntingblog.com.

Sponsor: Support me on Patreon receive ad-free episodes of the podcast delivered a day early (Wednesday instead of Thursday). Plus, you'll start to receive the other bonuses I deliver to supporters there. Sign up at Patreon.com/biggamehunter.

Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

Best Cartridges For Hunting Africa

Classic Cartridges Making A Comeback

Jeff Cooper wanted one rifle a man could carry all day, hunt big game, and defend himself with if he had to. This was supposed to be a handy, compact, & powerful general-purpose rifle, not a battle rifle or a specialized long-range gun. In this episode Richard Mann, author of The Scout Rifle Study, joins me on the show and we talk about Cooper's original Scout Rifle specs, how they changed over the years, his extensive hunting experience with Scout Rifles (to include multiple African safaris as well has hunts in the USA), the pros and cons of scout scopes vs an LPVO or red dot, and more.

If you've ever wondered whether the scout rifle is outdated, overhyped, or still one of the most practical rifles you can own, this conversation is the field report.

Sponsor: Join the community I'm building on Patreon to receive exclusive bonus content, like ad-free access to the podcast a day early.

Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

The Scout Rifle Study & Rifle Cartridges for the Hunter – Richard Mann's books referenced in this podcast

C Stories – Jeff Cooper's book referenced in this podcast

Learn more about Richard by supporting him on Substack: Empty Cases Substack

Other Episodes Referenced In The Podcast

Ep 388: 25 Creedmoor-A Triple Threat Cartridge With Richard Mann

Ep 401: Best Cartridge For Hunting Darn Neary Anything By Richard Mann

Ep 419: 25 Weatherby RPM With Richard Mann

Ryan Muckenhirn of Vortex Optics is back and we discuss two very different 30-caliber hunting setups. First up is the load that might raise a few eyebrows, but is also incredibly effective: a 308 Winchester firing Barnes' 130-grain TTSX. Ryan runs it in a 4-pound-13-ounce Kimber Mountain Ascent and that combination is a flat shooting, 400 yard and in load that delivers devastating terminal performance and still carries like a mountain gun with moderate recoil. Then we jump to the other end of the spectrum: the "300 Super WSM," a SAMMI-chamber 300 WSM built around Barnes' 212-grain LRX bore-rider. G1 BC around .705, 1:8 twist, long-action magazine, advertised 2,800 fps. We discuss the purpose that unusual cartridge serves and Ryan shares a few stories of how it performed afield on Idaho black bear and on a West Texas aoudad cull hunt where he really got to wring out that cartridge at various ranges out to around 800 yards and on multiple animals.

If you hunt with a 308, load copper, or just like Ryan from the Vortex Nation, this one is worth the full run.

Sponsor: Join the community I'm building on Patreon to receive exclusive bonus content, like ad-free access to the podcast a day early.

Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

Subscribe to the Vortex Nation Podcast here or follow the show on YouTube

Ep 271: Vortex Optics With Ryan Muckinhern – Podcast referenced in episode

Tyler Freel returns to talk about the Alaska grizzly he killed this spring with a 22 ARC. He used a Zermatt Origin action, 20-inch Proof 1:7 twist barrel, and a 71-grain Maguire Ballistics Copper Rose at about 3,000 fps. His first shot was through the lungs and his second was into the shoulder as the sow turned. She was down in roughly three seconds and covered about seven yards. We cover the rifle build, why he chose the Copper Rose over a traditional copper or lead-core bullet, what the wound looked like, and why he keeps coming back to the 22 ARC. If you like small cartridges, modern copper bullets, and/or arguments about what actually kills a bear, this one's for you.

Sponsor: Join the community I'm building on Patreon to receive exclusive bonus content, like ad-free access to the podcast a day early.

Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

Read Tyler's article on Outdoor Life about the 22 ARC & 22 Creedmoor here and watch the video on this subject on the Outdoor Life YouTube channel here

Subscribe to Tyler's Tundra Talk Podcast here.

Follow Tyler on Instagram @thetylerfreel.

Ep 282: Grizzly Bear Hunting With A 6.5 Creedmoor?!? – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 316: Dall Sheep Hunting With Tyler Freel – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 344: Moose Hunting With 22 ARC – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 365: 338 Lapua Unleased With Tyler Freel – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 418: Tyler Freel's Near Death In The Backcountry – Podcast referenced in episode

A hunt in Tajikistan that tops out over 19,000 feet. An argali at 1,200 yards. Kyrgyzstan on horseback and a Mongolia hunt that included wolves working the same animals. Rob Gearing shares stories from three very different Asian mountain hunts: the long, open, high-altitude country of Tajikistan near the Afghan border; camping and horses in Kyrgyzstan; and Toyotas in places they shouldn't go in the Gobi.

Sponsor: Join the community I'm building on Patreon to receive exclusive bonus content, like ad-free access to the podcast a day early.

Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

Ep 151: Rob Gearing On Spartan Precision Bipods and Tripods – Episode referenced in podcast

Ep 216: Rob Gearing From Spartan Precision (2022) – Episode referenced in podcast

Ep 309: 2024 Update From Spartan Precision – Episode referenced in podcast

Best Hunting Rifle Bipods – Article referenced in podcast

John McAdams sits down with Ron Spomer to talk about the .243 Winchester and the 6mm Remington (originally the .244 Remington). Both are light recoiling, flat shooting 6mm cartridges introduced in the 1950s and have similar performance on paper at first glance. However, the 243 Winchester remains one of the most popular dual-purpose cartridges in America while the .244/6mm Remington never achieved widespread popularity and is slowly fading away, despite offering slightly better ballistics. Here's the story of what happened.

If you like classic cartridge history, practical hunting ballistics, and straightforward comparisons, this episode is for you.

Sponsor: Join the community I'm building on Patreon to receive exclusive bonus content, like my ongoing tour of my new office highlighting lessons learned and interesting stories from past hunts.

Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" or "FOLLOW" button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

5 Dying Rifle Cartridges the Industry Is Abandoning In 2026 (But Still Work)

Pick up a copy of Ron's 7mm Cartridges From Around The World book here

Check Out Ron Spomer's Podcast (on Apple or Spotify), Web Site, & YouTube Channel

Ep 386: Brown & Grizzly Bear Hunting With Ron Spomer

Ep 336: Best Cartridge For Hunting Darn Near Anything With Ron Spomer

Ep 201: Bighorn Sheep Hunting With Ron Spomer

Ep 145: Moose Hunting 101 With Ron Spomer