EmptyCases Substack: The RifleMann

Riflescope Mounting

EmptyCases — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 16:59:25 GMT

In the video about shouldering a rifle I mentioned that it is the little things that are most important. To become a good rifleman, you master the little things and put them all together to make a shot. Rifle fit is also very important, and part of rifle fit is having a riflescope that is mounted correctly for you. In an upcoming video we will discuss t…

Shouldering a Rifle

EmptyCases — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:20:29 GMT

Before you can shoot you need to get your rifle on target, and a lot of rifle shooters and hunters struggle to do that fast and effectively. Fast can sometimes be important because animals—especially at close range—don’t stand around waiting for you to get your shit together. Shouldering or mounting your rifle is part of getting it on target and this vi…

Action Screws

EmptyCases — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:46:29 GMT

No matter how well you can—or think you can—shoot, you need to be able to take care of your rifle. And too, the now common practice of installing an aftermarket trigger can often help you shoot better than you already do. Some shooters and hunters never take their rifles apart but it’s something you need to know how to do because cleaning, servicing, and potentially upgrading your rifle is part of being a rifleman. When you’re done you must assemble your rifle and it’s critical that you get the stock installed properly. Part of that job is making sure your action screws are torqued with the correct amount of force. If not, your rifle might not shoot as well as it used to.

Subscribe now

BUY Rifle Cartridges for the Hunter

Push Feed Actions

EmptyCases — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:55:30 GMT

The push feed (PF) bolt action is the most popular action type. Almost all modern bolt action rifle designs utilize some form of a push feed action. Many claim that PF actions are unreliable and that it would be foolish to use one to hunt for dangerous game. Ironically, and though it is not a bolt action, the AR15 is actually a push feed action, and it is what our warfighters rely on. Regardless, assumptions about push feed actions are often based on myths or untruths perpetuated by those who are only repeating what some supposed gun guy told them.

If you would prefer to read about the differences in these actions you can check out my book, The Scout Rifle Study, or John Barsness’ book, Obsessions of a Rifle Loony. There are also a lot of articles on the web but sometimes they only perpetuate the myths. I’ve seen push feed actions fail and jam and I’ve seen control round feed actions do the same. I think what’s more important than the action type is how well the action is made and how well you know how to use it. For what it’s worth, my favorite bolt action rifles have a push feed action. Hopefully for those unfamiliar with the details of a push feed action this video will help them understand them better.

Subscribe now

BUY The Scout Rifle Study

Control Round Feed Actions

EmptyCases — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:58:50 GMT

One of the most argued topics when it comes to bolt action rifles is whether the control round feed (CRF) action is better than the push feed (PF) action. This is an especially hot topic when it comes to dangerous game hunting—many swear that only a fool would hunt dangerous game with a push feed action. I cover these actions thoroughly in my book The Scout Rifle Study, and there have been a lot of articles written about the topic. John Barsness also talks about them in his book, Obsessions of a Rifle Loony.

However, sometimes a video is more illustrative. As for me, I prefer an action that is made right—regardless of whether it is CRF or PF, and the only rifles I’ve hunted dangerous game with are lever guns, a double rifle, and a CRF rifle. The lever guns were my choice, the others were rifles I was testing. For what it’s worth, I do not own a rifle with a CRF action because I trust the PF actions I do own. Hopefully this video will give you a better understanding of DRF actions.

Subscribe now

ORDER The Scout Rifle Study

Introducing The RifleMann

EmptyCases — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:53:25 GMT

The RifleMann is a new section on the EmptyCases Substack. It will feature video content specifically focusing on tips, tricks, training drills and techniques to help you become a better rifleman. From time to time there will also be some content in this new section about handguns, because, well, real riflemen carry a handgun too.

The first few videos in this new section will be available to all subscribers, but ultimately the section will only be accessible by paid subscribers. Additionally, paid subscribers can also request specific rifle related content concerning shooting, rifle set up, maintenance, and handloading that they may have questions about.

Check out this new section and the first two videos on bolt work and lever action conditions, and I encourage your feedback. Like with all the sections on the EmptyCases Substack, if you’re already a subscriber you will automatically receive e-mail notifications for all the new content, and if you choose to, you can opt out of e-mail notifications for The RifleMann or any of the other EmptyCases Substack sections.

Subscribe now

Lever Gun Conditions

EmptyCases — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:41:35 GMT

Firearms have a unique set of readiness conditions based on their action type. Understanding how to work with these conditions helps you be safer with your firearms and better prepared when you are in the field. This used to be simple with traditional tube-fed lever action rifles, but with the advent of the cross-bolt safety many now have, it can get a bit confusing. This video looks at the readiness conditions of traditional tube-fed lever action rifles with and without the cross-bolt safety. A future video will delve more into how to properly work the lever on these rifles.

Subscribe now

ORDER Rifle Cartridges for the Hunter

Click the image of the book to read the review from Athlon Untamed

Bolt Work

EmptyCases — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:38:38 GMT

The proper manipulation of the bolt on a bolt action rifle is paramount to success in the field particularly when you need to make a follow up shot. There is more than one right answer regarding how to work a bolt and you need to find the method that works best for you. In this video I discuss proper bolt operation, and I also briefly touch on some differences between control-round-feed (CRF) and push-feed (PF) bolt action rifles, and how those differences can impact bolt operation. There’s a lot more to talk about on CRF and PF actions, and I’ll get into that in more depth in a later video. In the meantime, if you you run a bolt in a different way that I describe in this video tell me about it.

Subscribe now

ORDER Rifle Cartridges for the Hunter

Click the image of the book to read the review from Athlon Untamed