Mirage shields are useful for all shooters, not just hard-core competitors. A mirage shield helps you see your target better, without distortion caused by heat waves coming off your barrel. This isn’t rocket science — it’s a simple, inexpensive way to see better and shooter more accurately. We’ve advocated that varmint shooters give mirage bands a try on those hot summer groundhog and prairie dog expeditions. And we observed that practically every shooter at the 2013 World F-Class Championship was using a mirage shield of some kind.
Forum member Fabian from Germany, whose Sako 6mmBR Rifle was featured many years ago as a Gun of the Week, has devised a clever and inexpensive mirage band option. Fabian is a radiologist by trade. He notes that many X-ray machines require a daily test film for calibration. These are normally just discarded in the trash, so you can get them for free.
Fabian explains: “I’m a radiologist, so I handle medical x-ray films every day. Modern X-ray machines use laser-based printers and they need to print a test-film every day. One x-ray film is about 43×35 cm (16.9″ x 13.7″). Made from polyester, the films are very stable and only 0.007″ inches thick. They are light-weight, semi-transparent, and very stable. Using normal scissors, you can easily cut four mirage shields from a single sheet of film. Then glue on some velcro to attach to your barrel. Try it, you will not be disappointed.”
Carbon Fiber Mirage Shield from Rodzilla
If you’re not into making your own mirage shield, aka “mirage band”, Rodzilla, makers of the superb Raptor front rest and 5-Axis rest tops, offers an excellent 3″ x 24″ carbon fiber mirage shield. This 1/32″-thick band is really a top-tier, state-of-the-art shield. Order it for $30.00 from TheRodzilla.com web store.
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Mirage shields are useful for all shooters, not just hard-core competitors. A mirage shield helps you see your target better, without distortion caused by heat waves coming off your barrel. This isn’t rocket science — it’s a simple, inexpensive way to see better and shooter more accurately. We’ve advocated that varmint shooters give mirage bands a try on those hot summer groundhog and prairie dog expeditions. And we observed that practically every shooter at the 2013 World F-Class Championship was using a mirage shield of some kind.
Forum member Fabian from Germany, whose Sako 6mmBR Rifle was featured many years ago as a Gun of the Week, has devised a clever and inexpensive mirage band option. Fabian is a radiologist by trade. He notes that many X-ray machines require a daily test film for calibration. These are normally just discarded in the trash, so you can get them for free.
Fabian explains: “I’m a radiologist, so I handle medical x-ray films every day. Modern X-ray machines use laser-based printers and they need to print a test-film every day. One x-ray film is about 43×35 cm (16.9″ x 13.7″). Made from polyester, the films are very stable and only 0.007″ inches thick. They are light-weight, semi-transparent, and very stable. Using normal scissors, you can easily cut four mirage shields from a single sheet of film. Then glue on some velcro to attach to your barrel. Try it, you will not be disappointed.”
Carbon Fiber Mirage Shield from Rodzilla
If you’re not into making your own mirage shield, aka “mirage band”, Rodzilla, makers of the superb Raptor front rest and 5-Axis rest tops, offers an excellent 3″ x 24″ carbon fiber mirage shield. This 1/32″-thick band is really a top-tier, state-of-the-art shield. Order it for $30.00 from TheRodzilla.com web store.
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Mirage shields are useful for all shooters, not just hard-core competitors. A mirage shield helps you see your target better, without distortion caused by heat waves coming off your barrel. This isn’t rocket science — it’s a simple, inexpensive way to see better and shoot more accurately. We’ve advocated that varmint shooters give mirage bands a try on those hot summer groundhog and prairie dog expeditions. And we observed that practically every F-Class shooter at the recent Berger SW Nationals was using a mirage shield of some kind.
Make Your Own Mirage Shiels from Venetian Blind
Criterion Barrels shows how you can make your own mirage shield from an ordinary Venetion blind.
A mirage shield is an extremely cost-effective way to eliminate a commonly-encountered problem. Making your own mirage shield is easy. Using old venetian blind strips and common household materials and tools, you can construct your own mirage shield for under one dollar. READ FULL Article
Materials Required:
1. Vertical PVC Venetian blind panel
2. Three 1”x1” pieces adhesive-backed Velcro
3. Ruler or tape measure
4. Scissors or box cutter
5. Pencil or marker
Make Your Own Mirage Shield from X-Ray Film
Forum member Fabian from Germany, whose Sako 6BR rifle was featured as a Gun of the Week, has devised a clever and inexpensive mirage band option. Fabian is a radiologist by trade. He notes that many X-ray machines require a daily test film for calibration. These are normally just discarded in the trash, so you can get them for free.
Fabian explains: “I’m a radiologist, so I handle medical x-ray films every day. Modern X-ray machines use laser-based printers and they need to print a test-film every day. One x-ray film is about 43×35 cm (16.9″ x 13.7″). Made from polyester, the films are very stable and only 0.007″ inches thick. They are light-weight, semi-transparent, and very stable. Using normal scissors, you can easily cut four mirage shields from a single sheet of film. Then glue on some velcro to attach to your barrel. Try it, you will not be disappointed.”
High-Tech Carbon Fiber Mirage Shield
If you’re not into making your own mirage shield, aka “mirage band” or “mirage shade”, you can also purchase a cool carbon fiber mirage shield from Accurateshooter Forum member Mark Nagel. These custom Carbon-Fiber Mirage Shields start at $20.00. GET More INFO HERE.
Carbon Fiber Mirage Shield
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Is your mirage band really “the best it can be”? Or is it actually allowing warm air to flow in front of your scope, causing mirage? Here’s an interesting graphic that suggests that the size, shape, and curvature of a mirage shield can make a difference. We can’t say this diagram is based on exhaustive scientific testing (and we think the flow patterns are exaggerated for effect), but it does illustrate how airflow can be altered by shield shape.
This graphic comes from Fierce Vinyl a company that produces high-quality aluminum mirage shields for shooters. Fierce Vinyl is run by the daughter of ace gunsmith (and Hall of Fame shooter) Thomas ‘Speedy’ Gonzalez. Fierce Vinyl sells custom 26″ aluminum mirage shields (with graphic imprint) for $21.99 + shipping. That price includes printing the graphic on the shield, if you provide the artwork. Inquire about custom art designs or large orders.
Along with Mirage Bands, Fierce Vinyl produces a variety of graphic products, labels, and stickers. If you need a placard, graphic, or bumper sticker for your business or shooting range, Fierce Vinyl can help you out. See more product designs on the Fierce Vinyl Facebook Page.
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Mirage shields are useful for all shooters, not just hard-core competitors. A mirage shield helps you see your target better, without distortion caused by heat waves coming off your barrel. This isn’t rocket science — it’s a simple, inexpensive way to see better and shooter more accurately. We’ve advocated that varmint shooters give mirage bands a try on those hot summer groundhog and prairie dog expeditions. And we observed that practically every shooter at the 2013 World F-Class Championship was using a mirage shield of some kind.
Forum member Fabian from Germany, whose Sako 6BR was featured as a Gun of the Week, has devised a clever and inexpensive mirage band option. Fabian is a radiologist by trade. He notes that many X-ray machines require a daily test film for calibration. These are normally just discarded in the trash, so you can get them for free.
Fabian explains: “I’m a radiologist, so I handle medical x-ray films every day. Modern X-ray machines use laser-based printers and they need to print a test-film every day. One x-ray film is about 43×35 cm (16.9″ x 13.7″). Made from polyester, the films are very stable and only 0.007″ inches thick. They are light-weight, semi-transparent, and very stable. Using normal scissors, you can easily cut four mirage shields from a single sheet of film. Then glue on some velcro to attach to your barrel. Try it, you will not be disappointed.”
If you’re not into making your own mirage shield, aka “mirage band” or “mirage shade”, you can also purchase these from Sinclair International. Two Velcro-attached sizes are offered, 18″ long (item 749-000-423WS) and 24″ inches long (item 749-000-426WS). Both sizes are priced at a reasonable $4.95.
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Even if you don’t shoot competitively, you can benefit from having a mirage shield on your barrel. The shield helps prevent barrel heat from “cooking” the air in front of your scope, which can distort the view you see through the optic. Barrel heat creates a mirage effect that can blur the target image and actually shift your apparent aiming point up and down. Competitors know that a mirage shield helps them shoot smaller groups and better scores. Mirage shields can likewise benefit Varmint shooters on those hot summer groundhog and prairie dog expeditions.
Make a Mirage Shield from Discarded X-Ray Film
Forum member Fabian from Germany, whose Sako 6BR was featured as a Gun of the Week, has devised a clever and inexpensive mirage band option. Fabian is a radiologist by trade. He notes that many X-ray machines require a daily test film for calibration. These are normally just discarded in the trash, so you can get them for free.
Fabian explains: “I’m a radiologist, so I handle medical x-ray films every day. Modern X-ray machines use laser-based printers and they need to print a test-film every day. One x-ray film is about 43×35 cm (16.9″ x 13.7″). Made from polyester, the films are very stable and only 0.007″ inches thick. They are light-weight, semi-transparent, and very stable. Using normal scissors, you can easily cut four mirage shields from a single sheet of film. Then glue on some velcro to attach to your barrel. Try it, you will not be disappointed.”
More Do-It-Yourself Ideas
Other forum members have made mirage shields out of common, inexpensive materials such as old venetian blinds, thin plastic edging strips, and even cardboard reinforced with strapping tape. There’s no “magic material”. However many shooters have found that wider shields (extending well past the barrel sides) work better than narrow shields, particularly in hot weather.
Mirage Shields with Printed Designs
If you prefer to purchase a mirage shield, Shotmaster 10X offers a wide variety of shields starting at just $5.00 for a plain white 18″ shield. Patterned shields (including camo designs) are priced by length: $8.50 (18″), $9.50 (20″), $11.00 (24″). All Shotmaster shields come with two (2) velcro patches with self-stick adhesive.
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Past NBRSA 1000-yard Champion Jerry Tierney has been experimenting with a “super-sized” mirage shield. Like other shooters, Jerry noticed that mirage produced by barrel heat was creating optical distortions, causing groups to open up on the target. He had fitted a conventional, narrow, venetian-blind style mirage band to his barrel using velcro fasteners. This had the expected beneficial effect, until Jerry’s round count rose to the point that the barrel heat was overcoming the narrow band’s shielding effect.
Jerry figured “if a narrow band is good, maybe a wide mirage band is even better”. Jerry experimented with materials and sizes, eventually settling on a 4-inch wide section of cardboard running from the scope foreward. He wrapped the cardboard with plastic strapping tape to add stiffness, and then, during his experiments, zip-tied the cardboard to the barrel. The venetian blind band was then placed on top of the cardboard. This gives him a two-tier mirage shield.
To Jerry’s surprise, with the jumbo mirage shield in place, the barrel remained accurate for a much longer round count. Jerry told us: “I thought the barrel was ‘going off’ as it heated up. But what I found, by using the big shield, was that the barrel stayed accurate even when it was hot. The barrel actually continued to shoot very well when hot–once I started using the bigger mirage shield. Mirage was causing the accuracy problems. With the big shield in place, I can put more rounds through the tube without seeing negative effects on the target. I concluded that this gun can shoot well with a hot barrel, so long as I kept the mirage under control. I know the cardboard shield looks funky, but it works. I can shoot longer strings without losing accuracy.”
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Editor: This story by Tommy C. (aka “dc.fireman”) comes from our Shooters’ Forum. It’s fascinating to see how a relatively inexpensive Savage M12 BVSS varmint rig was transformed into a sophisticated 300M match rifle with a modern chassis, Shilen barrel, and top-of-line sights. With some ingenuity, and careful parts selection, Tommy created a rifle that can compete with match rifles costing many thousands of dollars more. American ingenuity at work!
Savage Reborn — Old BVSS Transformed into 300M Match Rifle
by Tommy C. (aka “dc.fireman”)
So, I began the project of building a 300M International competition gun, about a year ago, intending to compete at the 300M Nationals this year in Minnesota at the Minneapolis Rifle Club. Realistically, I didn’t want to pay the price-tag demanded of the Bleikers, Grunig & Elmigers, Hammerlis, or Tanners that (infrequently) pop-up for sale from time to time. So I decided to build my own 300M Match rifle with an American action, barrel, chassis, and trigger.
Here is Tommy’s completed 300M Match rifle with Savage action in PDC Custom chassis.
I had decided on the .260 Remington (aka 6.5-08) as the caliber choice. This beat out 6.5×47 Lapua simply due to the cost/availability of brass. The .260 Rem cartridge is based on the .308 Win parent. I made my first batch of brass by necking down some Federal .308, and it worked great. [Editor: We do recommend Lapua .260 Remington brass for match purposes for those who don’t have a supply of good .308 brass.]
I had an older Savage M12 stagger-feed action, originally from an old .22-250 BVSS. I contacted James at Northland Shooter Supply, and he walked me through the game plan and equipment I needed: Shilen Select Match 26″ barrel, NSS Stainless recoil lug and nut, a set of Forster headspace gauges, and the NSS action wrench.
Catalog photo of current Savage M12 BVSS in .22-250 Rem.
A few months later, I replaced the original Accu-trigger with a Rifle Basix SAV-II trigger, and immediately wondered why I waited so long to do that. The Rifle Basix is perfect for my application. Mind you the he safety DOES NOT work now, but, I don’t need it for my application.
Another member on the AccurateShooter Forum sold me a BVSS stock that has been re-worked by Alex Sitman of Masterclass Stocks, and it served as a placeholder, until I could find a maker who could nearly replicate my Feinwerkbau 2700 Alu stock in my smallbore match gun.
After scouring the AccurateShooter Forum, and multiple internet searches, I found PDC Custom in Michigan. I spoke with Craig Kierstadt a few times, before finally deciding to pull the proverbial trigger on his chassis. He had a few of the older chassis stocks with spacing for the Savage stagger-feed action. He machined an Anschutz rail into the fore-end for my hand stop and sling. Then he powder-coated the chassis black, and sent it to me sans grip and butt plate.
Photo of action/chassis. Tommy says: “It locks up really tightly, and you can tell Craig spent some time on the CNC work need to make this all fit.”
There are a few minor issues with the PDC chassis, but overall, I would rate this a 9.5 out of a possible 10. The price, and the features built into it, plus the ease of which everything fit together, far outweigh any minor issues. And two of the issues I quickly corrected with Teflon tape. I will need to make a walnut cheek piece — a curved one isn’t conducive to aperture iron sight shooting.
Savage Action .260 Rem 300M Match Rifle Components:
Action, Barrel, Stock, Grip
Savage M12 stagger-feed action, 4.27″ spacing
Shilen Select Match Barrel, 26″
Rifle Basix SAV-II Trigger
PDC Custom Chassis — tool-less adjustments
Bobsled SLED for single loading (required)
MEC Contact III Butt plate (German)
MEC handstop/sling swivel (German)
Walnut Target grip for AR-15 (eBay sourced)
Sight Components and Hardware
MEC Spy Long rear sight (German)
Centra front sight tunnel (German)
Centra adjustable aperture (German)
Medesha sight extension tube + collar
Champion’s Choice front sight base
Champion’s Choice mirage band
For his practice load, Tommy shot 123gr Hornady ELD-M bullets with H4831 powder and CCI BR2 primers. This load performed well — Tommy posted: “My 25-shot initial prone test today shows promise. There are five sighter shots, and 20 record shots. One of the 9s at 9 o’clock is my first sighter, the other one I own. The 8 out at 4 O’clock was a round that was difficult to chamber. My initial scoring puts me somewhere in the vicinity of 193-7X.”
The target used is the NRA C2, “300M International Rifle Target, reduced for 200 yards”. The 10 Ring is 2.40″ in diameter, while the Inner 10 (X-Ring) is 1.24″.
Match Load — Varget and Nosler Bullets
For his match load, Tommy switched to Varget and Nosler bullets: “My match load uses 37.9 grains Hodgdon Varget with a Nosler 123gr bullet. This was a recommendation by a gentleman with a lot of experience in 300M shooting.”
Tommy adds: “The amount of knowledge gained via the AccurateShooter Forum has made this all a reality, instead of just a passing thought.”
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Keeping your barrel cool has many important benefits — it will definitely enhance barrel life and can help maintain accuracy over the course of long shooting sessions. Now there is a new way to quickly dissipate heat from your rifle barrel — Barrel Blizzard
The makers of BarrelCool have created a new dual-fan barrel cooling device, called the Barrel Blizzard. Each powerful fan moves 30 cubic feet of air per minute — that’s serious cooling power. This unit is powered by a common USB-style battery. The housing mounts easily to the barrel, and the twin fans can each be adjusted 360° to various angles (You can even use one to cool the gun and the second to cool the operator on a hot day). This should be available very soon at the introductory price of $74.99
Reduce Barrel Cooling Time from 45 Minutes to 10 Minutes
How well does the Barrel Blizzard work? The makers tell us: “Repeated tests show that the Barrel Blizzard cuts barrel cool-down times significantly. What might take 45 minutes, can often be reduced to less than 10 minutes. And if you combine the new Barrel Blizzard with BarrelCool, the in-chamber fan, you can get a hot barrel down to near-ambient temperature in approximately 5 minutes.”
Barrel Cool-Down Times for Barrel Blizzard Alone and Blizzard + BarrelCool
We think this product will definitely be popular with varmint shooters in the summer months. Those guys may shoot hundreds of rounds in a day. Many serious varminters bring along a couple spare rifles, so that they can swap rigs when one barrel heats up. With the Barrel Blizzard they may be able to keep shooting with minimal wait time, and no rifle change-outs. Byron Sumoba, one of the designers, notes: “With a rechargeable 2600 mAh battery. We are getting about 2.5 hours of continuous use out of a battery pack.”
Who can benefit from this product? The makers say this is “For the shooter wanting to drastically reduce their load development time at the range… or the varmint hunter looking to cool that barrel down and increase barrel life.”
Barrel Blizzard Can Also Cut Mirage
This system can also cut mirage, by reducing the hot air rising from your barrel. If a mirage band is not enough on hot days, you can just rotate one of the fans to send the flow down the barrel towards the muzzle. This will help reduce mirage coming off the barrel.
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Michelle Gallagher is now the 2014 NRA Long Range High Power Rifle Champion. Michelle shot a perfect Palma score to win the multi-match championship. When the dust settled, Michelle edged out her mom, Nancy Tompkins, by a single X. Readers asked about Michelle’s choice of bullets. In the Long Range Championships, Michelle used the Berger .30-caliber 155.5gr Match Fullbore Target bullet (for Palma), as well as the 6.5mm 140gr Match Hybrid Target bullet.
Here are some photos from the Long Range championships, courtesy GONRAMedia.
John Whidden, a three-time NRA Long Range Champion, had a pair of long-range rifles built on modified Anschutz aluminum small-bore stocks. John’s scoped rig (first photo) features a Kelbly Panda Action. The iron sight version (second photo below) has a Winchester action. John has done these conversions for other shooters.
Long Range is not a man’s world by any means. The top two LR places at Perry were claimed by ladies.
Tubeguns built with Gary Eliseo chassis systems were popular on the firing line.
Yes, that is a John Deere Mirage Band shielding this shooter’s barrel.
This service rifle shooter found a way to shield his sights and remember his loved ones.
This competitor transformed a Sinclair loading block into an elevated ammo caddy. Clever piece of kit!
“Wagons HO!”. Shooters await the long ride to the pits for target duties.
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The Tack Driver Showdown is a 300 meter, one-of-a-kind match designed to determine the most accurate rifles in the world regardless of discipline or class. The 2021 Tack Driver II event had 80 of the world’s top competitors representing several disciplines (Short-Range for Group, Short-Range for Score, UBR, F-Class, 600-yd and 1000-yd Benchrest) with calibers/cartridge types ranging from .22 PPC to .300 WSM.
IMPORTANT: Folks, if you shoot competitive benchrest, please DO watch the First Video below. It is full of invaluable information and shooting tips. As Bart holds multiple world records, you should listen to what he says. This is, without question, one of most informative benchrest videos I have ever seen in 18 years of running this site. — EDITOR
This year the match was VERY challenging, with tough, very windy conditions and low temperatures. The overall winner of the Grand Aggregate was bullet-maker Bart Sauter, shown above. Bart was shooting his wickedly accurate 6 BRA rifle with 103gr bullets of his own making. Bart demonstrated that a 6 BRA cartridge with long bullets can beat a 6 PPC, at least at 300 meters when the wind is fierce.
WATCH THIS! Folks, if you are a benchrest competitor, you absolutely should watch this video. This offers very important insights you won’t find anywhere else. The first five minutes shows very important advice on setting up your rest and bags. Starting at the 10-minute mark, Bart shows how he shoots the rifle, with rapid manual reloads. At the very end, 15:55+ Bart runs five (5) shots in 9 seconds!
Match Results — What Cartridge Types Dominated
Bart reports: “It’s interesting to see the calibers/cartridges in the Top 10 of each category. The Group Match was in fact won by the 6 PPC. However, look at the top 5. Three of the Top 5 are NOT 6 PPCs — that’s notable. The Score Match was won with a .30 WW (I have no clue what that is). There were two .30 calibers in the Top 5 and three in the Top 10. The Grand Aggregate was won with a 6 BRA. I think it’s noteworthy the Top 5 had two 6 PPCs, two 6 BRAs and a .30 WW! That’s a pretty good mix. The Top 10 had a variety of 6MMs and one .30 caliber. That’s another surprise.”
Group Match Results
1st 6 PPC
2nd 22 PPC
3rd 300 WSM
4th 6 Dasher
5th 6 PPC
6th 6 BRA
7th 6 PPC
8th 6 BRA
9th 6 PPC
10th 6 PPC
Leveling the Playing Field — What Works Best at 300 Meters Commentary by Bart Sauter
There has been a long standing debate in the shooting world as to whether mid-range/long-range cartridges such as the Dasher, 6 BRA, and 6mmBR are accurate enough to compete against the 6 PPC or 30 BR at shorter distances. The problem has been finding a format that allows the both short-range and longer-range cartridges to compete on a level playing field. The Tack Driver match addresses the problem by moving the distance to 300 meters (approximately 329 yards). This is a bit farther than short range group and score matches which are typically shot at 100 and 200 yards. While the mid-range/long range cartridges shoot primarily at 600 and 1000 yards.
Cartridges Left to Right: 6 PPC, 30 BR, 6mmBR, 6 BRA, 6 DASHER. Those five cartridges represent 85% of cartridge types used at the Tack Driver II match.
Another piece of the puzzle is the type of match — group vs. score. Short Range matches consist of either a group or score match. In group shooting you’re trying to shoot as small of a group as possible (5- or 10-Shot group). Unlike score it doesn’t matter where the group forms on the target. However, in score competition the goal is to hit five individual bullseyes per target, preferably dead center. Score matches are won by the highest point total while group matches are won by the smallest aggregate (smallest average of total groups shot).
Things are different for longer range competitions. 600-yard and 1000-yard Benchrest competitors shoot for score AND group simultaneously on the same target. In other words competitors are trying to shoot the smallest group in the middle of the bullseye for the highest point total. The Tack Driver addresses this problem by having an equal number of score targets and group size targets. Tack Driver II had 5 score targets and 5 group targets at 300 meters, so neither discipline is favored.
6 BRA Wins Tack Driver II Match
The winning combination this year was a 6 BRA (6mmBR Ackley Improved) shot by Bart Sauter. Below are the particulars on Bart’s winning rifle and load information. Watch the following video to learn more about Bart’s very accurate rifle.
Barrel – Lederer 1:8″-Twist, 28″
Barrel Bore Diameter – 0.237″
Neck – .272″ NO TURN
Bullets – 103gr Bart’s Hammers
Case – Lapua 6mmBR parent
Primers – CCI BR4 sm rifle
Powder – Hodgdon H4895
Seating Pressure – 22 to 25 lbs. on gauge
Bullet Seating Depth – .009″ into the rifling from first touch.
Tack Driver II-Winning 6 BRA Rifle — Components Explained
Questions and Answers with Bart Sauter
Match Prep, Cartridge Choice, Comparative Wind Drift, Reloading Gear, Wind Conditions and more…
Q: How did you prepare for the match?
Bart: My good friend and shooting buddy, Jim Chaney, built a target frame which was placed at 300 meters for practice before the match. Our two biggest concerns about the match were: 1) staying competitive during the score portion; and 2) being able to see bullet holes during heavy mirage. The range is mostly South Carolina sand and faces southeast (you can get sun in your eyes). It has a notorious reputation for heavy mirage. So much so that seeing bullet holes can be an issue. Many shooters were swayed to shoot .30 calibers because the holes are easier to see. In fact, when the sun came out for the last couple of targets, several shooters complained they couldn’t see their shots on paper.
Q: I know you’ve shot a 6 PPC for years? What made you decide to go with a 6 BRA?
Bart: Well several things. During practice I bounced back and forth, playing with the 6 PPC and the 6 BRA. My shooting buddy Jim shot his 6 PPC. One of the things I noticed was my 6 BRA consistently edged my 6 PPC and and Jim’s 6 PPC in group size.
The Drift Test — The real eye-opener came when Jim and I conducted a drift test at 200 yards comparing the 6 PPC with 68gr Boattail Avengers to my 6 BRA with 103gr Bart’s Hammers. For the test both rifles were tuned as well as possible. The idea was for both shooters to hold the same point of aim for each shot (total of 5 per sequence). The shots were fired simultaneously by conducting a count down for example “One, Two, Three, FIRE!” Winds were 7 to 10 mph.
Bart (foreground) and Jim Chaney conducting comparative wind-drift tests with 6 PPC and 6 BRA prior to Tack Driver II Match.
Each shot was intentionally fired in a different wind condition over flags. The first 3 shots from the 6 BRA formed a nice 0.300″ group while the 6PPC spread out to a 0.650″. The final two shots were fired in a hard crosswind pushing to the right then a hard crosswind to the left. The 6 PPC was pushed to over a 1.6 inch group while the 6 BRA kept them to around an 0.850″. The test was so conclusive that during the drive to the match Jim abandoned his 6 PPC, and we doubled up on my 6 BRA.
Comparative Wind Drift Explained — 6 PPC vs. 6 BRA
Q: That explains why you chose the 6 BRA, but how did you meet the challenge of seeing 6mm bullet holes despite bad mirage?
Bart: Jim and I played with several different scopes trying to see what would work best. The mirage at my place can be substantial. Around September I purchased the new Valdada 10-60x56mm Precision scope with 40mm tube. This scope is amazing, not only optically, but rock solid accuracy-wise. So if anything was going to work to see bullet holes, it’s this scope. As it turned out, I had no problem seeing my shots on the Tack Driver II targets while others struggled on the last couple of targets.
Q: Did you preload for the match?
Bart: No. I’ve never been to this range so I wasn’t sure where I needed to be load-wise. Also the forecast was calling for cool temperatures and rain, so I had no clue. The plan was to get there early and start tuning soon as the range opened for practice on Friday. It took about 15 shots to verify that the same velocities and load that I ran at a previous Memphis match would work for the Tack Driver II.
Q: If you weren’t preloaded, did you load at the range?
Bart: Not exactly, I didn’t preload for the match at home but I did preload at the hotel. I brought 300 sized and primed cases and everything needed to reload. So after practice, it was back to the hotel to load. Below is my set-up at the hotel.
Reloading setup at hotel: K&M Arbor Press with seating pressure gauge, Wilson Bullet Seater, AutoTrickler V3 Powder trickler/scale housed in a portable, wind-proof loading box.
I loaded cases with Hodgdon H4895 in one-tenth grain increments (0.3 grains total spread) to shoot over the course of the day. I expected that a three-tenth spread would be enough to keep the rifle in tune over the forecast 20-25 degree temperature range. As a backup plan in case the load went completely sideways we hauled all the loading gear to the range each morning. I kept 100 sized and primed cases ready if needed. Fortunately we did not have to use them. We were able to use the three different, prepared loads throughout the day, changing as the ambient temperature rose (highest charge in morning).
Q: What were conditions like?
Bart: The conditions at Tack Driver II for both days were tough! We had switchy head winds ranging from 15 to 25 mph with occasional gusts to 30 mph. Temperature started with morning lows in the high 30s and warmed to a high around 50. The forecast called for rain both days but fortunately it didn’t materialize during the competition.
Bart Sauter checks out conditions during the match. Winds were switchy with gusts to 30 MPH.
Q: Do you have any observations or take-aways from the match?
Bart: Yes, I do! Jim Cline and crew puts on one hell of a match — very well organized and professionally run. And, most of all, the Tack Driver II was fun. Jim keeps things rolling and he has a gift for winding shooters up and getting the competitive juices going. For example he told three of the Top 6 PPC shooters, “If Bart beats you with that 6 BRA, all of you are getting autographed T-shirts at the award ceremony”.
True to his word, Jim Cline presents (L to R) Roy Hunter, Jeff Pineheart, and Wayne Cambell, with their Bart Sauter-autographed Tack Driver T-shirts. (Cline stands behind the trio.)
About Bart Sauter and Bart’s Custom Bullets
Our philosophy at Bart’s Custom Bullets is to take care of our customers, don’t cut corners, test everything, and never sell a bullet I wouldn’t be proud to take to a match. We started making bullets in 2000, while I was still in the Army. From the beginning Kim (my wife) and I decided to spend whatever It would take to get the best equipment available. We built a range for testing at every location the Army sent us. It’s been a successful combination.
Our bullets have set well over 50 world records and have won every major competition in short range. Now we are making strides to accomplish the same thing in Long Range.
Bullet Design — What Does the Future Hold? We have come a long way in the design and manufacturing of bullets. Everything has improved to include high-quality presses, jackets with close to zero run-out, and bullet dies that are straighter and more concentric than ever before. I believe we are close to the apex of designing bullets that shoot from 100 out to 1000 yards. Any improvement at this point will be incremental. In my opinion, the bullets we make right now are capable of shooting a 0.500″ group at 1000 yards (without wind effects). That probably sounds crazy to a lot of shooters. But I think the capability currently exists. It’s just going to take a special gun, barrel, shooter and condition combination to see it. Now bullets for Extreme Long Range (ELR) could be a new frontier for bullet design.
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WA Team members, left to right: Tod Hendricks, Jay Christopherson, Monte Milanuk, David Oakes.
F-Class competition continues to evolve, as guns and shooters get better every season. That means records get broken. Yet another record was smashed this month as the “Washington F-Open” team scored 1794-121X, a new pending National Record. That stunning combined team score beats the previous best by five points and more than 20 Xs. We believe the current record is 1789-100X, set at the 2017 Berger Southwest Nationals.
The new 1794-21X team record was set at the 2017 Northern Rockies LR F-Class Regional Match, held September 6-8 at the Deep Creek Range outside Missoula, Montana. This is a three-day, long range regional F-Class match consisting of two individual days and one team day.
Team Member Jay Christopherson, who won the F-Open Division, was proud of his Team’s accomplishment: “We were very excited when our shooting held up at 1000 yards to break the record.” Forum member Pat F., who also shot the match in Montana, said this was a really impressive performance: “I think that record will stand for a while.”
World’s Most Accurate IT Guy Wins F-Open with Brilliant Performance
Our AccurateShooter.com Systems Administrator, Jay Christopherson, won the F-Open Division with a superb 1047-62X individual performance. Remarkably, when you combine that 1047-62X with his 449-33X score in the team match, Jay dropped only four (4) points the entire weekend over 150 shots (105 shots in individual competition and another 45 in the team match). That is a combined percentage 99.73% in the Ten-Ring. Amazing! Jay is definitely “The World’s Most Accurate IT Guy”. Congrats Jay.
Jay was shooting a new F-0pen rifle built with his favorite hardware: a smooth-cycling Borden BRMXD action riding in a hardwood X-Ring stock. The barrel was a 32″-long, 1:9″-twist Bartlein chambered for the .284 Winchester cartridge. All team members were shooting straight .284 Wins with Berger 180gr Hybrid bullets. Jay was using a new scope, a fixed-power 48x52mm March High Master. Jay was impressed with the sharpness, clarity, and reliability of this scope. He said that during the match he never felt the need to dial-down power, so the 48X fixed magnification worked fine.
Jay reports: “Conditions were generally pretty good. Not perfect, but almost… There was enough change to push you out of the 10-Ring if you were not careful, but overall, the conditions were about as consistently good as you can expect. There was also some smoke haze, particularly on Friday and Saturday, that made seeing the target a challenge and looking at mirage was basically impossible. But, for all that, the wind was mostly very, very kind.”
“This is the fourth year I have traveled to shoot this match and as always, it was an excellent match. Jamey Williams does an outstanding job of herding cats and ensuring that the match runs smoothly. Bob Evans ran the line and really did an excellent job of keeping everyone safe and the match moving.”
Here is an aerial view of the Deep Creek Range (Drone video by David Gosnell):
Northern Rockies LR F-Class Regional Match Results
Individual Top Three Shooters (1050-105X Possible)
F-Open Division:
Jay Christopherson, 1047-62X, MW
Tod Hendricks, 1043-61X, 2nd MW
Jim Williams, 1041-51X, 3rd MW
F-TR Division:
Justin Covey, 1030-48X, MW
Tom Hubbard, 1030-41X, 2nd MW
John Van Santford, 1027-36X, 3rd MW
Jay Christopherson, 449-33X
Tod Hendricks, 448-28X
David Oakes, 448-30X
Monte Milanuk, 449-30X
F-TR Winning Team: “Misfits”, 1751-50X
John Van Santford, 436-14X
Beverly Van Santford, 441-13X
Phil Brackenbury, 436-12X
Larry Bandaccari, 438-11X
Course of Fire: The individual days are a 105-shot aggregate, consisting of a 45-shot Palma (800/900/1000) followed by a 20-shot x 1000 (Day 1) and a 40-shot x 1000 match (Day 2). The team match is a 45-shot per team member Palma match (800/900/1000).
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Match Load — Varget and Nosler Bullets
Our philosophy at 
