The 14th annual CMP Western Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches will head back to the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona next month. The CMP Western Games run October 13-17, 2017, followed by the Creedmoor Cup Matches from October 18-22, 2017. Popular CMP Western Games events will include the Garand, Springfield, Vintage Military, Modern Military, Rimfire Sporter, Carbine and Vintage Sniper matches. The Creedmoor Cup features a 4-Man Team Match, EIC Match and 80-Shot High Power rifle event. The 10-day combined series of vintage and service rifle matches are open to competitors of all ages and experience levels.
High Power Shooting Clinic and SAFS
A CMP Advanced High Power Shooting Clinic will also be held with instructino from some of the nation’s leading High Power Shooter. In addition, a rifle Small Arms Firing School will give participants insight into the fundamentals of marksmanship and competition shooting. Participants are teamed up with experienced CMP Rifle Master Instructors for classroom and hands-on training, with rifles and ammunition provided. Students in the school will also fire in a true M16 EIC Match, observed by instructors on the line.
Try Out CMP’s Traveling Electronic Targets
Competitors at this year’s CMP matches at Ben Avery will also have the opportunity to fire on the CMP’s highpower electronic target system.
The traveling targets, which include precision scoring hardware and software, plus a high-tech wireless monitor system, were used earlier this year with great success at the Oklahoma Games in April and Eastern Games in May. In June, at the outset of the National Matches, the targets made history by recording 36,000 shots during an entire week of successful National Match Course events on the ranges of Camp Perry in Ohio.
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The dots and dashes are Morse Code for the shooter’s initials. The wood is Mango with Walnut fore-end wing inlays. The barreled action is an older Anschutz Model 54 that spent years in a prone stock.
Build Report by Doan Trevor
How do you build a stock for the grand-daughter of an award-winning shooter? Over the years I have built five or six rifles for this shooter, and now his grand-daughter had taken an interest in F-Class. He wanted her new rifle to mirror his own F-Class rifle, and he provided me with an old Anschutz Model 54 barreled action. Her new rifle would get her started in rimfire with the possibility of graduating to High Power (centerfire) shooting. The dots and dashes on the sides of the stock are Morse Code for his grand-daughter’s initials — “AMS”.
Rimfire F-Class Stock Design Factors
Typically when I build a rimfire F-Class stock I use the same pattern as I do for High Power stocks. The pattern has evolved from my prone stocks, as it has proven very successful with time. Also, there is a known issue of using wood for a stock in F-Class. The wood needs to be cured, and unfortunately, finding wood in the specific dimension for the stock is near to impossible. Therefore, I inlay pieces in the fore-end making sure that it is straight and on center. Other materials can be used for an F-Class stock, but keeping them straight and centered can be very difficult. Using cured wood during the build process, I continually check the centerline from fore-end to the rear slider, ensuring that the stock stays centered. This helps ensure good tracking and return to point of aim.
Adapting Prone Stock for F-Class Use
There is a current trend of older Palma and prone shooters to convert their rifles for F-TR and F-Open due to eyesight problems and other disabilities. The stocks that they have been using (and loving) can be recycled to their new shooting styles with a few design changes. I have been doing this successfully for the last several years. Whether it be a new shooter or an older one, you can either plan for the future or adapt older equipment so that all can shoot the style that they want. My philosophy in rifle building is to create every rifle with the potential to win a national or world championship. I am proud to say that I have build rifles for Derek Rodgers, Trudie Faye, Lige Harris, Barry Smith, Eric Rhodes, Kent Reeves, Terry Glen and many more award-winning shooters. And I look forward to many more.
What the Heck is .22 LR Rimfire F-Class?
There is no official NRA F-Class rimfire discipline (at least not yet). However, many F-Class shooters (both F-0pen and F-TR) employ .22 LR rifles for low-cost training. For example, James Crofts practices extensively with his 40X rimfire F-TR rig. In addition, many shooting clubs offer F-Class style rimfire fun matches, shot prone with front rest or match bipod. This rifle was built for an F-Class fun match hosted regularly by the Los Angeles Rifle & Revolver Club (LAR&R).
The photo below displays a different Doan Trevor-crafted rifle, a rimfire benchrest rig with Turbo action. This shows how Doan makes the 3-inch-wide fore-end. Outboard left- and right-side wings are bonded to the central stock material, then the wings are carefully shaped for straightness. Getting the geometry “just right” helps the rig track perfectly.
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With hunting season right around the corner, we know that many readers will soon be out in the field — with a set of binoculars. On most game hunts, you’ll speed a lot more time glassing with binocs than looking through your riflescope. With wide field of view and extended low-light capability, a good set of binoculars will be your most important game-finder. And with premium LRF binoculars, such as the new Vortex Fury, one tool serves both for spotting and laser ranging.
In this article, Vortex Optics’ Mark Boardman, an experienced hunter, explains the benefits of using a tripod with high-magnification binoculars. Everybody knows that powerful spotting scopes work best when mounted to a stable tripod or otherwise secured to a steady mount. Yet when most folks use binoculars, they never even think of using a tripod, despite the fact that tripod adapters are available for many premium binoculars.
Outdoorsmans Tripod Adapters Outdoorsmans.com sells tripod adapters for various kinds of binoculars. “Mounting your binoculars to a quality tripod is a must for the serious western hunter. Without the stabilization of your binoculars [by] mounting them to a tripod … you will be missing a majority of the game you are glassing for.”
A serious hunter should learn how to glass with tripod support, using methods outlined here. With binoculars offering more that 8X magnification, you can really benefit from a steady mount. You’ll be amazed at the difference the tripod will make.
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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A while back we published an Introduction to .50-Caliber Shooting authored by James Patterson. James has written a companion piece for Sinclair’s Reloading Press that covers the “care and feeding” of the big .50 Cal match rifles.
Owning and Feeding ‘The Big Bore’
Is The Challenge Of Big Bore Extreme Range Shooting And Hunting Right For You? By James Patterson
Handling a 50 BMG
Is a 50 BMG caliber rifle difficult to shoot? Not at all. The relatively heavy weight of a standard rifle at 30 pounds or more combined with a very efficient muzzle brake makes it a pleasure to shoot. The typical recoil can be compared to a .243 rifle or a 12 gauge trap load. On the other hand, the burning of a typical load of 230 grains of powder combined with that muzzle brake makes the muzzle blast experience exhilarating. A first time shooter will fire, pause for a moment in awe at the muzzle blast, and then break out into what has become known as “The 50 caliber Grin”, almost impossible to wipe from ones face. My daughter started competing with the 50 BMG at 18 (115 lbs of tall skinny girl) and happily shoots 100+ rounds in the course of a match, her grin on the last round is as wide as on the first! Many members and competitors in the FCSA are women and many have distinguished themselves as excellent marksman having set world records on numerous occasions.
Cost of Big-Bore Shooting
Is owning and shooting a 50 BMG caliber rifle expensive? Relatively speaking yes, but one must put it into perspective. Rifles may run from $2500 to $7000, maybe even more for a top of the line custom rifle. A good scope will set you back $500 to $1500. And while excellent commercial ammo is available it runs from $3 to $5 a round. Most serious shooters start reloading for the rifle as soon as practical, not only for the economics of reloading but also for the ability to fine tune custom ammo for their specific rifle. It’s a very rare match that is won shooting commercial ammo. I recently compared the cost of my hobby — owning, shooting, and competing with the 50 BMG — with a friend whose hobby is snowmobiling. Factoring in the cost of equipment, licensing, gasoline, clothing, etc. it was soon obvious that my hobby was significantly less expensive than his.
Getting Started So how does one get started? You could do as I did, purchase a rifle not knowing what you were really getting into; or you could come out to a FCSA-sponsored event, shoot a number of different rifles, rub shoulders with those who have already taken the plunge, and see if this sport is right for you. While membership in the Fifty Caliber Shooters Association (FSCA) is required to compete at a FSCA event, membership is not required to come and experience first hand what is going on. If you have any inclination that you are interested in the extreme sport of long rang, big bore shooting then a year’s membership in the FCSA is only $60 ($20 for active duty military) a significant bargain if it helps you make just one well-informed equipment choice. In addition one of the primary functions of the FCSA is helping to identify active members near you who can help you understand just what is involved and help you ‘get your feet wet’ in this challenging sport.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Grafs.com — Lapua Bullets on Sale, Up to 49% Off
You know Lapua makes truly superior brass, but have you tried Lapua bullets yet. You should. The Scenar and Scenar-L match bullets are outstanding. In one of our rifles (a 6mmBR), Lapua’s original 105gr Scenar bullets out-shot every other projectile we tried. And the Scenar-L bullets are some of the most consistent bullets (for weight and base-to-ogive) we’ve ever measured. Now you can get these outstanding Lapua match bullets, plus excellent Lapua hunting bullets at major savings. Here are some of the best deals on great Scenar-L Match Bullets now at Grafs.com:
.224 Cal 77gr HPBT Scenar-L: $24.99/100 (Save 46%) (Great for Service Rifle) 6mm (.243) 90gr HPBT Scenar-L: $369.99/1000 (Save 18%) (Great XTC and PRS Bullet) 6.5mm (.264) 120gr HPBT Scenar-L: $259.99/1000 (Save 39%) (Great for 6.5 Creedmoor) 7mm (.284) 180gr HPBT Scenar-L: $28.99/100 (Save 46%) (Superb F-Open Bullet) .308 Cal 155gr HPBT Scenar-L: $299.99/1000 (Save 37%) (Excellent Palma Bullet) .308 Cal 220gr HPBT Scenar-L: $30.99/100 (Save 46%) (Excellent F-TR Bullet)
2. CDNN — Winchester XPR Hunting Rifle, $279.99 After Rebate
Looking for a good hunting rifle at a great price? Check out this promotion for the Winchester XPR. This is a fine-handling rig with a smooth bolt and many chambering options. Right now at CDNN Sports the basic gray-stocked Winchester XPR is on sale for $379.99. But here’s the kicker, Winchester is offering a $100.00 Mail-In Rebate. That drops your net cost to just $279.99. That’s an insanely good deal. You can also get the XPR in Vias Camo for $299.99 after rebate.
3. Midsouth — Norma Tac-223 .223 Rem Ammo, $5.99/20 rounds
Planning a late-season varmint hunt, or need some reliable ammo for a 3-Gun match? Look no further. This .223 Remington Norma Tac-223 FMJ is good ammo, a lot better than bulk commercial reloads, and not much more money. On sale now for $5.99 for a 20-round box, this quality Norma ammo is just thirty cents ($0.30) per round! You can also get this ammo by the case at Brownells, $244.99 for 800 rounds.
Here are two reviews from actual Midsouth customers who bought and shot this ammo:
“Amazingly accurate, great for target practice and plinking, and Norma brass! Believe it would be very good for varmit hunting. Price point is awesome for what you get from this ammunition. ordering more now.” Pat, Ohio
“I purchased this [Tac-223] ammo primarily for the Norma cartridge brass. It shoots great and the brass is top notch.” — Jim, Kentucky
4. DeGuns.net — S&W M&P 9mm, $399.99/$324.99 after Rebate
Here’s a great deal on a very reliable, accurate full-size 9x19mm pistol — the Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm in Flat Dark Earth finish. We like the distinctive color with contrasting matte black ambidextrous controls. For the next week, this 9mm pistol is on sale for just $399.99. To sweeten the deal further, this handgun qualifies for a $75.00 Smith & Wesson Rebate. Act soon — this DeGuns Deal is good through September 16, 2017.
Here’s the best deal we’ve found on an excellent product in high demand. The Lyman BoreCam is an electro-optical borescope with a digital display. You can record “stills” on a SD card. Our Forum members really like the BoreCam (although some wish the digital view-screen was larger). Amazon.com now has the Lyman BoreCam for $174.49 (seller Optics Planet) or $182.24 with free Prime Shipping. Grab it while you can at that price. Other vendors are charging a LOT more. For example, MidwayUSA’s price is $259.99!
6. Stocky’s — LR Stocks with Aluminum Bedding Block, $179.99
Here’s a good deal on a versatile Stocky’s Long Range Stock with aluminum V-block bedding system. For just $179.99, order this for Rem/Rem Clone long actions or short actions, with either narrow or wide (varmint/tactical) barrel channel. This would be a good choice for a varmint rifle. This is also offered with handsome hydrographic or web-pattern baked-on textured finishes for $199.99.
7. BangitAmmo.com — CCI Blazer Brass .45 ACP Ammo, $11.99
This is quality, American-made ammo with reloadable brass cases. This is cheaper than just about any name-brand .45 ACP ammo on the market offered in single-box lots. We’ve shot a lot of this ammo and it functioned 100% in 1911s, Sig P220, Glock m21, HK USP and other .45 ACP handguns. Price is $11.99 for a 50-round box ($0.24/round).
8. Brownells — Hornady Auto Charge Powder Dispenser, $139.99
Right now at Brownells the Hornady Lock-N-Load Auto Charge electronic powder dispenser/scale is on sale for $149.99. That’s a great deal but there’s more — with Brownells Coupon CODE M3P you can get the AutoCharge for just $139.99 and shipping is just one cent ($0.01) more at Brownells right how. So you can get the Hornady Auto Charge for $140.00 delivered. Hard to beat that.
9. Cabela’s — Savage 12 FV Rifle, $319.99
Here’s a good deal on a Savage hunting rifle. Purchase a Model 12 FV for $319.99 from Cabela’s. This is a sweet deal if you’re looking for a basic, no-frills hunting or varminting rifle. Cabela’s offers five chamberings at this price: .204 Ruger, .223 Remington, 22-250, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .308 Winchester. NOTE: The Cabela’s website includes a link to a $100 Savage rebate. That is for the 12 FCV, a different model. This basic 12 FV is not rebate eligible. But it’s still a good deal at $319.99.
10. Amazon — Mystery Deal, 28% off Typical Price, $199.00
Here’s our second Mystery Deal of the Week. Rest assured this is a very high quality product — at a very compelling price: $199.00 at Amazon. This item sold for $299.99 last summer, and around $270.00 just two months ago. Grab this steal-of-a-deal now. This big-name product will help you get on target all the way out to 1250 yards. We can say with some confidence you won’t find a better-performing, comparable product that represents such a good value. CLICK HERE to see the Mystery Deal.
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by James Mock
After owning three different rifles with BAT actions, I have become a loyal fan of BAT Machine quality and customer service. Back in 2009, I traded my BAT/Scoville for the BAT/Leonard that I currently shoot. This rifle has a long history and Terry Leonard told me that “Old 87″ (as I have named it) was one of the earlier BATs that he stocked. He wrapped the stock in fiberglass and used 2-part epoxy back then. I must say that this rifle has held up remarkably well since it dates back to the 1990s. The action is a RB/LP/RE octagon Model B with .308 bolt-face.
With this gun, I have shot several barrels of different calibers (.22 PPC, .22 PPC-short .095, 6mm PPC, 6XC, 6mm Dasher, .30BR, and will soon have a 6 BR-AI). It has been an exceptionally accurate rifle in several disciplines. In the hands of previous owners, it earned several Hall-of-Fame (HOF) points, and a “middle-of-the-pack” shooter (me) even received a HOF point with this rifle.
For most of its life, Old 87 served as a short range benchrest rifle, but I have used it for the last few years as a 600-yard rifle with the 6mm Dasher barrel. I was lucky enough to earn the Shooter of the Year award at the Prince Memorial Range in Louisiana for 2016.
After shooting my two Dasher barrels for last eight years, I have noticed a drop-off in accuracy at 600 yards. A decision had to be made — get a new barrel or sell the rifle and retire from competition. I will be 74 years old in six months and my competition days are limited due mainly to a chronic neck problem. After mulling over the decision to retire or not, I decided to give Old 87 one more year. Here is the story of how we upgraded the old war-horse.
Old 87 REBORN — Upgrading with New Components
I prefer cut-rifled barrels with four lands and grooves and have had success with .236 bore diameters and 1:8″ twist in long range rifles. I searched for barrels meeting those parameters and found a suitable BRUX at Bugholes.com (Southern Precision Rifles).
The 6BR-AI Option — Easy Fire Forming
I thought about having Billy Stevens chamber it for the Dasher, but decided to try something new. There seems to be a lot of interest in the 6BR-AI and I said, “Why not?” Well, I bought a shortened Dasher die from Harrell’s and will use my Wilson Dasher seating die. Bart Sauter was kind enough to let me use his reamer for chambering.
Fitting a New Roller-Type Cocking Piece on Older BAT Action
Since I was into the project this deep, I called Mike Ezell and ordered one of his Tungsten powder-dampened tuners. Since Old 87 had thousands of rounds since the firing pin spring has been replaced, I decided that it was probably needed. Well, I got to thinking (very dangerous) and asked Daryle Thom if it would be feasible to put a roller-type cocking piece and a new firing pin spring on such an old action.
The folks at BAT are very accommodating and they said that it would be no problem with such a conversion. While my bolt was in Idaho, the barrel with Ezell tuner arrived and I could not shoot it. However, my friend Jeff Turner loaned me his BAT bolt to see if it would work. Although the rifles differ in age by 15 or more years, the borrowed bolt worked perfectly in my rifle. This is a testimony to the great machine work performed at BAT Machine.
New Bolt Roller Tail-Piece Makes a Big Difference in Cocking Effort
With the borrowed bolt I managed to fire-form 50 rounds and get them ready for our 600-yard match on September 16. The folks at BAT quickly fixed my bolt by replacing the mainspring and ejector spring, polishing the ejector, and replacing the tail-piece with their roller type. Pictured below is this tail piece that makes a remarkable difference in the force needed to cock the action. It is amazing what this little wheel can do… even when placed in a 20+ year old action.
Working with the Ezell Barrel Tuner — Small Increments Work Best
Also, I would like to congratulate Mike Ezell on his new tuner which contains powdered Tungsten. It is easy to set up and Mike will help a buyer get maximum effectiveness from the unit. Just give him a call. Below is a picture of the tuner. I was lucky enough to have some time to “play” with it before the match.
Talking about the tuner, Mike writes: “Our new barrel tuners…
PDT stands for particle dampening technology. The science is there, we just applied it to a barrel tuner. The advantages are a wider tune window and more efficient control of barrel harmonics…in a tuner design that actually looks good.”
Mike advised me to set the tuner by turning it all the way into the shoulder and then come out to zero or the second time zero comes up if there is not at least half of a turn between the shoulder and the first zero. It is best to start with a proven load and adjust the tuner from that load. As unlikely as it seems, a rifle can go from a good tune to a very poor tune with only 5 marks (.005”) and vice versa.
Mike cautions those who use his tuner to NOT make adjustments which are too large. As a matter of fact, he recommends adjustments of .001 inch at a time. Ezell’s tuners are screwed onto the barrel with .900” by 32 threads per inch and has 32 marks on the circumference of the tuner. Therefore, each mark moves the tuner in or out by .001 inch. There are three set screws with Teflon tips which provide friction for the tuner on the threads. Do not tighten the screws so tight as they damage the fine threads.
If you want the smoothest bolt possible for your BAT, call or e-mail Daryle or Bruce Thom at BAT Machine and discuss your needs with them. I am sure glad that I did. If you want a state-of-the-Art tuner for your barrel, give Mike Ezell a call or visit his Ezell Custom Rifles Facebook Page.
— Good shooting, James Mock
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Do you find that the crosshairs in your scope get blurry after a while, or that you experience eye strain during a match? This is normal, particularly as you get older. Focusing intensely on your target (through the scope or over iron sights) for an extended period of time can cause eye strain. Thankfully, there are things you can do to reduce eye fatigue. For one — breathe deeper to take in more oxygen. Secondly, give your eyes a break between shots, looking away from the scope or sights.
In our Forum there is an interesting thread about vision and eye fatigue. One Forum member observed: “I have noticed recently that if I linger on the target for too long the crosshairs begin to blur and the whole image gradually darkens as if a cloud passed over the sun. I do wear contacts and wonder if that’s the problem. Anyone else experienced this? — Tommy”
Forum members advised Tommy to relax and breath deep. Increase oxygen intake and also move the eyes off the target for a bit. Closing the eyes briefly between shots can also relieve eye strain. Tommy found this improved the situation.
Keith G. noted: “Make sure you are still breathing… [your condition] sounds similar to the symptoms of holding one’s breath.”
Phil H. explained: “Tom — Our eyes are tremendous oxygen hogs. What you are witnessing is caused by lack of oxygen. When this happens, get off the sights, stare at the grass (most people’s eyes find the color green relaxing), breath, then get back on the rifle. Working on your cardio can help immensely. Worked for me when I shot Palma. Those aperture sights were a bear! The better my cardio got the better and longer I could see. Same thing with scopes. Try it!”
Watercam concurred: “+1 on breathing. Take a long slow deep breath, exhale and break shot. Also make sure you take a moment to look at the horizon without looking through rifle or spotting scope once in a while to fight fatigue. Same thing happens when using iron sights.”
Arizona shooter Scott Harris offered this advice: “To some extent, [blurring vision] happens to anyone staring at something for a long time. I try to keep vision crisp by getting the shot off in a timely fashion or close the eyes briefly to refresh them. Also keep moisturized and protect against wind with wrap-around glasses”.
Breathing Better and Relaxing the Eyes Really Worked…
Tommy, the shooter with the eye problem, said his vision improved after he worked on his breathing and gave his eyes a rest between shots: “Thanks guys. These techniques shrunk my group just a bit and every little bit helps.”
Read more tips on reducing eye fatigue in our Forum Thread: That Vision Thing.
To avoid eye fatigue, take your eyes away from the scope between shots, and look at something nearby (or even close your eyes briefly). Also work on your breathing and don’t hold your breath too long — that robs your system of oxygen.
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An outfit in Washigton State, Box to Bench Precision, has developed an oversize (23.5″ x 30″) precisely-scaled target designed for load development and scope testing. This target is very innovative. On the target you’ll find various clusters of aim points for various tasks. Upper left are orange aiming spots for testing various powder charges. In the upper right quadrant are more red aim points to be used when testing bullet seating depth. Running down the center of the target is a vertical line with horizontal marks showing precise MOA and Mil heights at 100 yards — use this feature to verify your click values.
And there’s more. In the lower right quadrant (far right) are three black targets to be used for chrono work. With these you can record cold velocity, hot barrel velocity and a “Final Velocity”. Over in the lower left quadrant, in the left-most column, are three dot targets for zeroing and recording group size with load data. Finally, four more black/white targets can be used for a scope box test (aka “shooting the square”). With a box test, you move from target to target, clicking in sequence to each corner of the square in sequence, evenutally returning to your original aim point. If your scope tracks correctly, the last box test shot should end up right on top of the first shot.
Record the Entire Load Development Process on One Target
For those used to shooting at conventional bulleyes or benchrest targets, this target may seem confusing, but it can really help organize and simplify the process of load development. We like the idea of having a single, durable target that performs double-duty — serving for load development as well as scope checking. And we like the fact that the target is pretty strong — the maker says: “The target is Tear-Resistant and Water-Proof”. We’d expect a maker based in the Pacific NW to design a target that can handle wet weather.
How to Order
So how much does all this target technology cost? A single, 23.5″ x 30″ target costs $6.99. A pack of three targets costs $19.47, while a five-target pack runs $29.95 (which works out to $5.99 per target). Targets ship in a durable cardboard tube. If you like what you see and want to order these targets, visit the Box To Box Precision Online Store.
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OK, we admit that this is kind of a crazy gimmick, but we also know many of our readers would love to have one of these very unique shot glasses which have a real .308-Cal bullet molded into the side. The “Point of Impact Shot Glass” is available, for a limited time, from the NRA Store for $14.95.
Ultimate Conversation Starter
Looking for a conversation starter at your next gathering? Or a unique gift? The NRA Point-Of-Impact Shot Glass is a great gift item for a firearm enthusiast.
Featuring a genuine .308 caliber bullet molded directly into the glass, these glasses are a perfect blend of firearms and fun. Each 2 oz. shot glass is handcrafted in the USA and displays an NRA imprint.
Technical Specifications:
• Size: 2 oz. Shot Glass
• .308 bullet molded into glass
• Hand wash only
• Made in USA
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Wouldn’t it be great if rifle-makers offered demonstration days, where shooters could try out various rifles — with ammo provided? Yep, that would be nice. Well that’s exactly what Bergara Rifles USA has been doing with its Bergara Experience. We commend the company for offering these free “test drive” sessions, giving shooters a chance to test some impressive factory rifles.
This video covers the First Bergara Experience, held in North Carolina
Bergara hosted three shooting demo sessions last month (August) in the Southeast USA. The first event took place at Woody’s Hunting and Rifle Club in New Hill, North Carolina on August 5th. Next Bergara’s team hosted an event on August 19th at the White Feather Precision Shooting Range in Ardmore, Tennessee. The final Bergara Experience in August was held on the 26th at the Barbour Creek Shooting Academy in Eufaula, Alabama.
The video above was filmed at the inaugural Bergara Experience, in North Carolina. Shooters fired a variety of rifles both prone and from the bench. A crowd favorite was the precision B-14 HMR (see below) chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor — both with and without suppressors.
Here’s video from the Barbour Creek Academy. This is an excellent facility with a covered shooting house and a range that runs out to 1,580 yards. At Barbour Creek, shooters got to test the long range capabilities of Bergara rifles.
“It’s one thing to say your rifles are serious long-range precision rifles and to claim accuracy out hundreds of yards in your advertising, but we wanted to prove it,” noted Ben Fleming, Bergara’s VP of Sales and Marketing. “The concept behind the Bergara Experience was to give the public the opportunity to experience long distance shooting… these shoots show that the performance of these rifles is not just ad-talk, it’s built-in.”
Bergara rifles all come with a test target (above). We thought it was interesting that Bergara uses a target we originally designed right here at AccurateShooter.com.
This target features a central red diamond, with lines for your cross-hairs, thicker on the horizontal. Our version includes boxes to enter load data, MV, and group size below each aiming graphic. CLICK HERE to Download Target.
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The Lee Classic Cast “O”-style press has always been an excellent value — it works as well as some other presses costing twice as much. And now Lee has improved on its Classic Cast Press design by adding a breech-lock fitting in the top. This allows you to swap dies in and out in seconds, once your dies are equipped with breech-lock quick-change bushings. The Lee Classic Cast Breech Lock press is available for under $120.00. That makes it a bargain compared to other heavy-duty single-stage presses. MidwayUSA offers this press (item #824144) for $105.29, while Natchez Shooters Supplies sells the press (item #LEE90999) for $110.49.
Breech-Lock System Allows Fast Die Exchanges
With the Lee Breech-Lock Press system, the die drops straight in from the top. Then, with a quick 1/6th (60°) turn, the die locks firmly in place (like the breech on an artillery canon). The interrupted three-start thread assures dies return and lock into the exact same position each time. Bushings cost $7.43 each at Midsouth. If you prefer, you can leave a bushing in the press, and screw your dies in normally. But consider that it normally takes a dozen or more turns to screw in a normally threaded die. The Breech-lock system is way faster.
The Lee Classic Cast press features a strong, cast-iron frame and all-steel linkage. The large 1 1/8″-diameter ram is guided by over twelve square inches of ram bearing surface. We like the fact that you can mount the handle on either side, and adjust handle angle and length. As Lee explains: “The start and stop position is adjustable with a 48-tooth, ratchet-type handle clamp. In addition, the handle length is completely adjustable. Shorten [it] when you’re loading handgun and short rifle cases.”
Lock-Ring Eliminator Quick-Change Bushings
With Lee’s basic quick-lock bushings, you control vertical die position with the normal locking ring that seats against the top of the bushing. That works fine, but Lee also offers a handy Lock-Ring Eliminator Bushing (Lee SKU 90063). This clever design combines bushing and lock-ring into a single part. The Eliminator is turned from a solid piece of steel and the lock ring is integrated into the design of the part. With the Eliminator you’ll get the most repeatable and precise die positioning because lock ring and bushing are all one piece. Moreover, some guys say the Eliminator Bushings are easier to grab and remove than the standard Lee Breech-Lock Bushings.
Press owners have praised their Lee Classic Cast Breech-Lock units. Here are reports from two MidwayUSA customers:
Five Stars: Perfect single stage press. Loads accurately 6mm BR and 308 Win for competition. Large clearance is also great for my 460 Wby and 30-378 Wby. Pistol rounds in 44 mag and 45 ACP also load easy. The press has a lot of leverage for full-length rifle case sizing. Nice primer disposal system. Lowest price for its class. This unit beats my Lyman press by several miles…. ” — J. Davidson, California
Five Stars: This thing is outstanding and better than my old RCBS partner press. Once you get the sweet setting of the die, lock it in place and next time you load, you need not fumble to find the best setting. Breech lock is the key. I load a lot of .308 Win and .223 Rem for my ARs and this requires full-length sizing. Lee meets the challenge with no flex and excellent ram/die fit and alignment. Another nice feature is that the breech-lock inserts have a lock preventing [them] from unlocking. [T]he spent primer disposal is perfect vs. RCBS where primers can miss the primer catcher. The handle can also be placed left or right as needed and shortened for small cases or pistol to reduce the handle travel.” — E. Stanley, Rockford, IL
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As precision hand-loaders, we normally assemble just one round at a time. That won’t cut it for an ammunition factory which needs to produce millions of rounds a month. To see how a modern factory achieves these kind of production levels, watch this video. It provides an inside look at the how ammunition is made with this step-by-step production guide from Hornady. The video begins by showing the stages in production of a lead-core jacketed bullet with exposed tip, such as the Hornady Interlock. Next, at the 1:38″ time-mark, the video shows how cartridge cases are made, starting with small brass cups (photo right). The brass is lengthened in a series of stages involving annealing, drawing, polishing, and the formation of the case head with primer pocket. Finally, at the 2:40″ time mark, the video shows how bullets and powder are seated into cartridge cases on the Hornady assembly line. In the final production stages, the completed ammunition is tested and packaged.
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Outdoorsmans Tripod Adapters
So how does one get started? You could do as I did, purchase a rifle not knowing what you were really getting into; or you could come out to a FCSA-sponsored event, shoot a number of different rifles, rub shoulders with those who have already taken the plunge, and see if this sport is right for you. While membership in the 
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Breech-Lock System Allows Fast Die Exchanges
As precision hand-loaders, we normally assemble just one round at a time. That won’t cut it for an ammunition factory which needs to produce millions of rounds a month. To see how a modern factory achieves these kind of production levels, watch this video. It provides an inside look at the how ammunition is made with this step-by-step production guide from Hornady. The video begins by showing the stages in production of a lead-core jacketed bullet with exposed tip, such as the Hornady Interlock. Next, at the 1:38″ time-mark, the video shows how cartridge cases are made, starting with small brass cups (photo right). The brass is lengthened in a series of stages involving annealing, drawing, polishing, and the formation of the case head with primer pocket. Finally, at the 2:40″ time mark, the video shows how bullets and powder are seated into cartridge cases on the Hornady assembly line. In the final production stages, the completed ammunition is tested and packaged.
