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January 17th, 2009
Our readers have been waiting a long time for Schmidt & Bender to bring its new high-magnification 12.5-50×56 PMII scope to American shores. We first wrote about this scope in April 2007. In February 2008, we published a follow-up report on the example we saw at the 2008 SHOT Show. For nearly two years now, American shooters have been asking us: “When can I get one?” Well, save your pennies. The scopes are slated to arrive in June, 2009 … provided S&B can deliver on its promises.
S&B Says the 12-50×56 Will Arrive in June
The scope will be available in the USA in limited quantities in summer 2009, hopefully in June. There are two (2) models. The black PMII version has a 34mm main tube and either 1/8 or 1/4 MOA clicks. Both normal and rapid two-turn counter-clockwise (CCW) turrets are offered on the PMII. The silver Field Target model comes with a 30mm main tube, and parallax that works down to 7 meters. Both scopes are priced at US $2849.00.
For more information, contact Mark Cromwell, Schmidt & Bender’s USA Manager, at 800-468-3450.
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January 17th, 2009
Battenfeld Techonolgies, makers of the popular “Caldwell Rock” front rest and “Fire Control” joystick front rest, unveilved some interesting new products at SHOT Show.
 The unique “7 Rest” is a lightweight, two-part shooting platform that folds up on itself for easy storage and transport. As unfolded, when viewed from above, it looks like the numeral “7”, hence the name. The 7 Rest features rubber-coated cradles front and rear. The center of the rest is open, so you can shoot ARs and other rifles with long magazines without interference.
The design of the 7 Rest is certainly innovative and clever, and it is inexpensive, with a $44.95 MSRP. Since it folds so compactly, this would be a perfect “handy rest” to stow behind the seat of your truck, and we also think this might work well for Varminters with ARs.
The other product that caught our eye was the new battery-powered, DS-750 scale. It will hold up to 750 grains, and Battenfeld claims it measures with 0.1 grain (tenth of a grain) accuracy. Priced at $50.00 this could be a good back-up scale, or a good product for doing load-work-ups at the range. It’s not much bigger than a cell-phone or I-pod so it would easily fit in your range box.
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January 17th, 2009
There was not much new at the Sierra Bullets booth this year. Sierra did display its new 155gr, .308-caliber MatchKing bullet, the model #2156, 155-grain HPBT Palma. This is an entirely new bullet created for Palma and other long-range shooters. Compared to the older #2155 MatchKing bullet (which will still be available), the new #2156 Palma bullet has a longer, more streamlined 9-caliber ogive, slightly longer OAL, and a pointed meplat.
155 Has Factory-Pointed Bullet Tips
As Sierra’s Carroll Pilant explains in the video below, the new 155gr Palma MK has performed extremely well in testing and initial competition. It demonstrated the ability to hold very tight vertical at 1000 yards. What’s the secret? Could be the pointed bullet tips. This is the first Sierra bullet to have the meplats “pointed up” at the factory. Sierra points the tips using a special extra die as the last stage in the production process. The pointing gives the bullet a higher BC. In fact, the 155-grainer has a BC of 0.504. According to Sierra, that’s “basically the same BC as the 175gr MatchKing”. So you can shoot a 20-grain lighter bullet with no loss of BC. Sierra also noted that the 155-grainer “is an easy bullet to stabilize… it will stabilize in a 1:13″ twist.”
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Sierra’s new 155-grainer will be offered in boxes of 100 bullets (stock #2156, $38.89 MSRP), 500 bullets (stock #2156C, $180.46 MSRP), or 500 moly-coated bullets (stock # 2156M ,$203.81 MSRP). For more info, contact Sierra at 1-800-223-8799 or email sierra [at] sierrabullets.com.
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January 17th, 2009
In October, we published a preliminary report on the new 30 Remington AR cartridge, complete with diagrams and factory load specs.
At SHOT 2009, Remington displayed Remington 30AR rifles and factory-loaded ammo. There were no great surprises. This is a short, fat cartridge (.308 bolt-face) that holds about 44 grains of H20. Case size and capacity were pretty much dictated by AR15 magazine dimensions: “According to Outdoor Life columnist John Snow: “DPMS President Randy Luth and Remington’s John Fink (brand manager for the rifle division) … both said that the goal was to look at the AR lower and see how much cartridge they could fit in there.” The Rem 30AR uses a single-stack magazine holding four (4) rounds.
Factory Rem 30AR ammo is loaded with 125gr projectiles running about 2800 fps. While the 0.267 BC for those bullets is pretty low, the cartridge should perform its intended job of harvesting deer just fine. Jason also believes that, if the Remington-brand brass is decent, this cartridge could have real potential in Hunter Benchrest and for subsonic work.
30 Remington AR (30 RAR) Specifications
| Case Capacity |
Rim
Diam. |
Parent Cases |
Shoulder |
Factory Load |
Mag Type |
| 44.0gr H20 |
0.473″
.308 bolt face |
.450 Bushmaster
.284 Winchester |
25° |
125gr SP or
125 B-Tip
2800 fps
0.267 BC |
4-Round
Single Stack |
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January 17th, 2009
 The latest SHOT Daily is now available for FREE online. The latest edition, dated Jan. 17th, covers SHOT Show events, and includes gear and hardware reviews. This issue spotlights knives, camouflage clothing, and hunting accessories. The issue also has a feature story about the Brownell’s Gun Industry Career Fair. Click the link below to download the Jan. 17th SHOT Daily as an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file.
CLICK HERE to Download Jan. 17th SHOT Daily
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January 16th, 2009
SHOT Show 2009 officially opened yesterday, with thousands of gun industry professionals, wholesalers, retailers, and media persons streaming through the gates of the Orlando Convention Center in the morning. Check out the SHOT Flickr PhotoStream for a bird’s eye view inside the Convention Hall. CLICK HERE to see the crowd on opening day.
No “Super-Zoom” From Sightron
 Our Asst. Editor Jason Baney continued his quest for cool, new stuff at the 2009 SHOT Show in Orlando. Sadly, he had to report that the rumored 10-50×56 Sightron competition scope was nowhere to be seen. We know that Sightron is working on a 10-50X and maybe even 10-60X zoom scope as a followup to its very popular 8-32×56 scope unveiled at the 2008 Shot Show. However, the ultra-high-power zoom is still in the development stages. There ARE prototypes, we know that, but when (and if) the Sightron “super-zoom” gets finalized is still uncertain. Given the outstanding performance of the 8-32×56 30mm Sightron (as tested by Jason), we’re hoping its “big brother” will make it into production. Message to Sightron: If an 8-32 is good, a 10-50 might be even better…
 During gaps in his busy interview schedule, Jason was able to meet with some of our “friends of the site”. At left, Jason meets Jim Scoutten, host of the very popular ShootingUSA TV series. This past year, AccurateShooter.com helped connect the ShootingUSA production team with leading long-range benchrest and F-Class shooters. We look forward to continued cooperation with ShootingUSA and other leading shooting sports broadcasters.
Jason also met up with Gordy Gritters, one of our recommended gunsmiths. As he did at last year’s SHOT Show, gunsmith Gordy was holding forth in the Grizzly booth, demonstrating chambering and barrel-fitting to a wide-eyed crowd of on-lookers. In cooperation with Grizzly Industrial, Gordy is working on a series of gunsmithing DVDs. These will be a far cry from the typical smithing videos that show you how to tap a receiver or install a buttpad. Gordy’s DVDs cover the advanced methods used to produce precision competition and varmint rifles. In one video segment, Gordy shows how to chamber and headspace a match barrel using a Grizzly G0509G 3-Phase Gunsmith Lathe. Below is a segment from the DVD showing Gordy fine-tuning the headspace as he fits a BAT Machine ‘MB’ action to the barrel. Working with precise indicators, you can see Gordy set the headspace to within a few ten-thousandths of an inch.
Ken Lunde — The Ansel Adams of SHOT Show
While Jason was roaming the floor, our friend Ken Lunde was doing his usual, masterful job of photographing new firearms at the show. Check out Ken’s 2009 SHOT Show Report. It has dozens of great images of guns on display in Orlando. A very gifted photographer, Ken is also a serious varmint shooter and the owner of multiple Cooper rifles (one of which was featured as Gun of the Week). Naturally, then, Ken’s “first stop was the Cooper Arms booth”. There, Ken got a great photo of a sectioned (cut-away) Cooper m21 action. This is a “must-see”. The Cut-away shows the inside of the chamber, tenon section, and even the inside of the bolt. It’s like having X-Ray vision. Click on the Larger Image button to see even more details.
Photo copyright Ken Lunde, used by permission.
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January 16th, 2009
Jason’s first stop on his 2009 SHOT Show tour was at the Berger Bullets booth. Our readers know that Berger manufactures some of the best varmint and match bullets in the world. Eric Stecker, Berger’s master bulletsmith, announced that Berger is organizing its production into three main lines: Varmint bullets (flat-base and standard boat-tails), Target bullets (both Tangent Ogive and VLD designs) with thicker jackets, and Hunting bullets (low-drag VLD with standard J4 jackets).
A design effort is underway to optimize the “long range” bullet shapes, centering around a tangent ogive BT design with shorter than normal bearing surface. This allows a longer nose shape with a better BC. It should also be easier to tune, given the tangent ogive design. Berger’s designers are also working with a double ogive shape for big bore bullets. This will feature a tangent ogive immediately above the bearing surface to allow a smoother transition into the lands. Then the shape transitions to a secant ogive for better BC and a smaller meplat.
New 20 Caliber Bullet is Ready and Two .338 Projectiles in the Works
Berger announced a new 55gr, 20-caliber “Long Range” BT bullet. Prototypes have been tested successfully in 8-twist barrels. With sufficient velocities a 1:9″ twist might work also, but Berger wants more field testing–by shooters like you. NOTE: Berger is currently looking for “volunteers” to test this new 20-cal 55-grainer in 8-Twist and 9-Twist barrels. Contact Michelle Gallagher at Berger for more details.
Big-bore shooters will be pleased to learn Berger hopes to release both 250gr and 300gr .338-caliber bullets by the end of 2009. While design work is on-going, Berger expects to offer tangent ogive, secant ogive, and double-radius .338 projectiles in both 250gr and 300gr weights. So you’ll have a choice of three different bullet shapes, each in two weights. That’s good news for hunters and ultra-long-range shooters.
Bullet Ballistic Coefficients (BCs) to Be Analyzed and Updated
Berger recently hired Bryan Litz as an in-house ballistics experts. Bryan, a top-level High Power and long-range shooter, formerly worked with the Air Force as a rocket ballistics scientist. Drawing on his expertise, Berger will be testing its match bullets to establish more precise drag figures. So, you may see the stated BCs on your favorite Berger bullets changing a bit in the future, but those changes will be based on improved design analysis and testing.
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January 16th, 2009
In AccurateShooter.com’s 2007 comparison test of Laser Rangefinders, the Swarovski Laser Guide came out on top, though the Leica CRF 1200 drew praise for its light weight and extremely compact format.
There may be a new challenger to the Swaro for top honors. Zeiss has come out with a completely new, high-quality rangefinder, the Victory 8×26 T* PRF. Zeiss claims this is “the world’s first premium monocular with digital laser rangefinder, LED display, and integrated Ballistic Information System (BIS™).” Looking at the new product, we like the ergonomics, the centrally-located viewing lens, wide field of view (330′ at 1000 yards), and the superb optics. The “T*” in the title indicates a scratch-resistent, high-light-transmission lens coating.
 If field tests show that the new Zeiss ranges as well as the Swaro and Leica, the Zeiss Victory 8×26 could hold the edge because it delivers ballistic drop info, while the others do not. With the Victory’s minimal beam divergence, Zeiss claims measuring accuracy of ± 1 yard at ranges up to 600 yards and ± 0.5% at ranges beyond 600 yards (max claimed range is 1300 yards). If those claims are real, the Zeiss Victory should “hit” your ranging target at long distances more easily than most other rangefinders on the market. (As laser beams extend over distance they spread out in a cone. That’s called beam divergence. The greater the beam divergence, the greater the risk of false readings, or getting no reading at all.)
The Zeiss Victory has a “street price” of about $700.00 and is currently instock at Adorama.com, Binoculars.com and other major vendors.
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January 16th, 2009
For precision rifle shooters, Lapua brass is about as good as it gets. It is definitely the preferred cartridge brass for short-range benchrest, 600-yard benchrest, and F-Class competition. Jason visited the Lapua booth to find out what new products the Finnish manufacturer will offer in 2009. In the video below, Sales Manager Adam Braverman reviews Lapua’s new offerings.
Lapua Revives .222 Remington Line
The big news is the re-introduction of .222 Remington brass. In late 2008 we revealed that Lapua would resume production of .222 Rem brass, and now we’ve learned that Lapua will be producing .222 Rem loaded ammo as well. Notably, this new .222 Rem brass (and ammo) will be produced “in-house” by Lapua. We expect it will meet the same exacting standards as other Lapua match brass. The .222 brass will be available immediately, and you should soon find it in stock at Grafs.com.
NEW 300gr, .338 Scenar Bullet
Big bore shooters will be pleased to know that Lapua has introduced a new 300gr, .338-caliber Scenar match bullet. When launched from the .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge, the new GB528 300-grainer will stay supersonic past 1500 meters. And even at 1700 meters it still carries over 1000 Joules of energy. You won’t find the 300gr Scenar in a silver cardboard box, however. From now on, Lapua match bullets will arrive in durable blue plastic containers. That’s progress we guess.
New BC Data Available for QuickTARGET
The ballistic coefficient of the new 300-grainers, as well as most other Lapua bullets, can now be inputed directly into the QuickTARGET ballistics program. BC values for Lapua bullets were confirmed with actual “real world” testing using Doppler radar.
No luck this year for .260 Rem and Short Mag Shooters
Despite persistent rumors, we won’t be seeing .260 brass or Short Mag brass from Lapua this season — though Lapua hasn’t ruled this out for some time in the future. Lapua does invite input from shooters, particular on the Short Magnum question. If Lapua feels there is adequate demand, it might (we stress might) consider production of a short mag. The question is “which short magnum?” The WSM family certainly has been more widely adopted thus far, but for match shooters, particularly 7mm shooters, the Remington SAUM may be a more efficient (and potentially more accurate) case. Right now, Lapua is leaning to the WSM, according to our sources.
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January 15th, 2009
 Each day during SHOT Show, the NSSF publishes a magazine-style E-Zine, the SHOT DAILY. The SHOT DAILY is a “must-read” if you want to keep up with the latest SHOT news and product unveilings. You’ll find lots of product photos plus short gear reviews. All this is FREE in a downloadable .PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file.
CLICK HERE to Download SHOT DAILY 2009, Part One
In today’s edition of the SHOT DAILY is a 20-page Guide to the New Rifles of 2009. It is organized alphabetically, covering manufacturers from Anschütz to Winchester. According to the 2009 Rifle Guide, “New lever-actions and bolt-actions dominate the scene this year, but tactical rifles remain strong sellers. In the bolt-action arena, every major maker is offering new models in both light and heavy versions, as well as updates and caliber introductions to existing models”
One of the featured rifles is the handsome new Anschütz Model 1770 Hunter in .223 Remington. A mag-fed, centerfire repeater, the model 1770 features a new six-locking-lug action — the company’s first completely new action in three decades. This new design boasts a short 60-degree bolt lift for fast cycling. The receiver has a dovetailed rail on top, but is also drilled and tapped for scope mounts.
This issue of the SHOT DAILY also includes lengthy sections dedicated to new shotguns and new handguns, plus discussion of gun buying trends and new developments in gun range management.
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January 15th, 2009
On the day before the official opening of SHOT Show, members of the media were invited to the Orlando Sheriffs’ Range to “test-drive” some of the latest offerings from major manufacturers. As precision rifles are AccurateShooter.com’s primary focus, two new guns from Savage Arms drew the attention of our Asst. Editor (and resident “hot-shot”) Jason Baney. After meeting with Savage Chairman/CEO Ron Coburn, and Marketing Mgr. Bill Dermody, Jason got the chance to try out Savage’s new .308 Palma Rifle, and the radical new, metal-chassis model 10 BAS Tactical rifle.
The handsome Savage Palma Rifle features a gray laminated stock with triple pillars. It boasts an adjustable cheekpiece, and adjustable length of pull (LOP) via spacers. Fitted with the Savage Target action, 30″ stainless barrel, and (4 – 12 oz.) Accutrigger, the gun promises outstanding accuracy. As you can see on the second half of the video below, Jason shot a 1/2″ group at 200 yards with the Savage Palma Rifle. Jason said the stock was ergonomic and the gun balanced well even with the long tube. The Savage Palma Rifle action is drilled and tapped for top or side-mount peep sights, so it can be fitted with either iron sights or scope. Savage is taking orders right now. MSRP is $1798, but the “street price” will be quite a bit less.
Bold & Black — Savage 10 BAS Tactical Rifle
The new 10 BAS is a radical departure for Savage. This wild-looking new bolt-gun features a blackened aluminum modular chassis, top and side Picatinny rails, a detachable box magazine, and not one but TWO adjustable (and removeable) buttstock configurations. One buttstock is similar to an AR15-style collapsing stock, while the other (on the BAS ‘T’ model) features a myriad of adjustments, and a straight, flat keel section on the bottom to ride the bags.
On this T-version stock, the buttplate adjusts for length of pull (LOP) and cant angle and the cheek-piece adjusts both vertically and fore and aft using a rail and a rotary locking knob.
What’s our take on the radical 10 BAS rifle? For police and military applications, the rails offer great versatility. For tactical comps, we liked the ergonomic grip, 10-round detachable magazine, and the easily-adjustable LOP. The 10 BAS will initially be offered in .308 Winchester only. Based on the model 110 action, the 10 BAS comes with a 24″ barrel and a proprietary muzzle brake. It even accepts most AR15 buttstocks. We don’t know of any domestic manufacturer offering a “tactical” bolt gun with all the features found on the 10 BAS. We expect this rifle to cause quite a stir when SHOT Show doors open this morning.
Photos by J. Baney, copyright © 2009 AccurateShooter.com, All Rights Reserved.
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January 15th, 2009
 Among the highlights of Media Day were the impressive portable field rests showcased by Lone Star Field Products. Designed primarily for law enforcement and military applications, these rests would also work very well in the varmint fields. The rests are very sturdy yet relatively lightweight. There is a low-profile “Quad Base” version, as well as a “tall” Spec-Rest that sits on top of a tripod. Jason got a chance to try the Spec-Rest with an Accuracy International .308 Win Rifle.
Testing the New Spec-Rest (Tripod and Quad-Base)
Positioned on a tripod, the Spec-Rest swivels 360° and allows a huge range of elevation. The set-up will hold nearly any rifle with its front and rear V-Mounts. According to the FBI, when a gun is firmly mounted, the Spec-Rest will absorb up to 60% of felt recoil with big calibers. The Spec-Rest can be deployed in under a minute without tools. The Spec-Rest is offered in two configurations. With a standing-height tripod and mil-spec carry bag, the Spec-Rest costs $660.00. With a lower quad base, suitable for bench shooting or sitting/kneeling, the Spec-Rest is priced at $575.00.
For more information, visit LoneStarFieldProducts.com, or call Lone Star at (972) 276-3110.
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