Our sharp-eyed researcher EdLongrange spied something very interesting in the 2012 HS Precision Catalog. Among HS Precision’s complete rifle offerings are two competition rifles — an F-Class gun, and (believe it or not) a short-range Benchrest rig chambered in either 6 PPC or 22 PPC. It’s been a long time since a major gun builder came up with a turn-key rifle for the short-range (100/200) benchrest discipline. The HS Precision BCR™ Rifle complies with all NBRSA short-range rules and is even set up with a tight-neck 6 PPC or 22 PPC chamber. The BCR Rifle features a single-shot action, competition trigger and an aluminum trigger guard. And get this — with each BCR Rifle, HS Precision supplies a 5-shot test target measuring .250″ or less. For guys who don’t compete, but would like to use this rifle for varminting, other short-action calibers are available with a ½”, 3-shot 100-yard accuracy guarantee.
Will we see this BCR 6 PPC rifle on the firing line at registered benchrest matches? Probably not, as the $3375.00 price is comparable to what you’d spend for a full custom gun. On the other hand, we’re pleased that HS Precision is building something for the accuracy market. If the gun is a commercial success, perhaps other large gun-makers will follow suit.
New HS Precision F-Class Rifle
In addition to the surprising “point-blank” BCR rig, HS Precision is introducing a new F-Class competition gun, the FCR™, designed to compete straight out of the box. The rifle is available in short or long actions, and in chamberings such as 6.5×284. With multiple barrel lengths, stocks, and accessories available, this rifle “can be made as individual as its user” according to HS Precision. We don’t have a price on the HS Precision FCR, but it looks like a well-thought-out F-Open rig. The listed barrel length is 26″, but we imagine many F-Classers will prefer a longer tube. Hopefully HS Precision will offer a .284 Win or 7mm WSM version with a 28-30″ barrel. For more information, visit HSPrecision.com, or call (605) 341-3006. HS Precision is based in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Editor’s NOTE: Though the product has some shortcomings, we wanted to show you guys the Hyskore Bench Beast Coaxial Competition Rest because it has some interesting engineering features (such as the scissors-jack primary elevator). The front bag holder won’t accept very wide fore-ends, and the high sides of the rear rest compromise your ability to get in close to the gun and work the rear controls while aiming. Still, there are few integrated front/rear rests on the market, so we thought you’d want to see this new offering from Hyskore.
At SHOT Show 2012, Hyskore unveiled an combined front/rear mechanical rest system appropriately named the Bench Beast. The front rest has a coaxial-type control activated by a long, angled joystick. Hyskore claims the joystick control provides 110 MOA adjustment for both windage and elevation.
For gross elevation changes, this contraption uses a scissors-jack type lift in the front that is definitely industrial in origin. In fact, the Bench Beast looks like something made in a Latvian tractor factory. But this may be useful for someone who wants a linked front and rear mechanical rest that can support a very heavy rifle (50 lbs. or more). It looks like the max width in the front is limited to 3″ so this would not work with a super-wide stock without modification. Too bad. Moreover, the front bag supplied with the Bench Beast is designed for narrow, hunter-style fore-ends. Even to run a 3″-wide gun, you’ll need to purchase an aftermarket bag. While Hyskore calls this a “competition rest”, the Bench Beast is not really set up for competition rifles.
About $500.00 for Combined Front and Rear Rests
The front and rear units can be purchased separately. Exact pricing is not yet set, but the front section should cost about $300, with the rear priced about $200.00. People should note, however, that, if you have full windage and elevation adjustment in the rear, you really only need gross height control in the front (to get on target). With a good rear rest, all the fine windage and elevation adjustment can be done from the rear, and, because of the geometry, a little bit goes a long way. It would be interesting to combine the Bench Beast’s rear unit with a simple (non-joystick) front pedestal rest.
Design Concerns
We’re intrigued with the Bench Beast’s rear unit, since there are few mass-produced, mechanical rear rests on the market. However, we have some concerns about the footprint, height, and overall size of the rear unit (SEE video 1:00-1:10). Ideally, a rear mechanical rest should allow the shooter to tuck in comfortably beside the gun. The Bench Beast has fat control knobs and tall support shafts placed far out from the centerline, on the extreme edges of the rear base.
While the wide rear base provides a solid platform, the outboard support columns and control knobs, we believe, make it difficult for the shooter to position his upper body close to the gun.
The main rear rest control knobs are also not conveniently placed. Look at the video carefully. Better rear rests have the controls further forward and closer to the centerline where they can be easily reached by the shooter’s non-trigger-pulling hand, in a comfortable shooting position. That way a right-handed shooter can easily use his left hand to work the controls while viewing the target through the scope, and holding the rifle grip with his right hand. We like the idea of an affordable rear mechanical rest, but we think the rear section of the Bench Beast would benefit from a major redesign.
Before the largest crowd ever to watch a 3-gun match, and with the largest payday in the history of the sport on the line, on the evening of January 18th, eight of the country’s top 3-gunners stepped to the firing line at the Clark County Range outside Las Vegas. With the famous Las Vegas strip illuminating the desert sky as the backdrop, the sport of 3-Gun formally announced its arrival to the shooting industry, major media outlets and a national television audience.
Photo by Tim Walsh www.seanchaicom.com
Team FNH USA’s Tommy Thacker defeated teammate Mark Hanish in the final round of the 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale, sponsored by Brownells, to become the 2012 3-Gun Nation Champion, winning an unprecedented $50,000 from Leupold Tactical Optics and NBC Sports Network.
“Unbelievable,” Thacker said, trying to put the enormity of the moment into words. “The only thing I could think is I am so blessed and everything happens for a reason. The only thing I could think is to thank God. When you think about everything that happened, I don’t know how else to describe it. Coming into this, I knew everything was right. I was in the zone more than I’ve ever been, and after the first run, I knew I was going to win this thing.”
For finishing second, Hanish was awarded a Barrett MRAD rifle fitted with a Leupold scope and BORS system, along with a check for $2,500 from Brownells.
Counting prizes awarded to other finals competitors, the Las Vegas payouts totaled $67,500, with an additional $15,000 in product value. In all, 3-Gun Nation paid out more than $150,000 in cash prizes on the 2011-2012 3GN Tour.
Champion’s Profile: Tommy Thacker is Director of Product Management for Law Enforcement & Commercial Sales with FNH USA. He is also a nationally-ranked competitive shooter, certified firearms instructor, and small business owner. He served as the inaugural Captain of FNH USA’s award winning shooting team.
The 3GN Championship Finale, sponsored by Brownells and sanctioned by NRA Sports, was the culminating event of the 2011-2012 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire. Spanning ten major 3-gun events all across the country, more than 1,500 competitors earned scores toward the 3GN Standings. From there, the top 50 competitors qualified to the 3-Gun Nation Championship in November, a one-day Tactical Optics-only match that comprised the deepest field of 3-gun talent ever assembled. The top 16 shooters then battled in an elimination Shoot-Off, with the Final 8 advancing to the Las Vegas Rumble On the Range.
Crosman unveiled a great new product at SHOT Show — a dedicated upper that transforms your AR-platform gun into a .177-caliber air rifle. Smart idea. Crosman deserves praise — we wish this was on the market decades ago. This is great for service rifle shooters who can now practice at a fraction of the cost of centerfire ammunition. Since the lower is unchanged, and the sights are the same as on a service rifle, the shooter doesn’t have to adapt to a different trigger or sight height/radius.
As Crosman representative Mark Deboard explains: “With the [MAR 177 upper kit], you can take off your AR’s centerfire upper, replace it with the Crosman upper and go to your basement or garage to shoot .177 pellets. You’re getting great trigger time without going to the range and without buying .223 ammo. You can buy a tin of 500 pellets for about five bucks.” (With a good pellet trap you could practice in your basement — but first consult your state and municipal regulations).
The 7.4-lb Crosman MAR177 Conversion Kit replaces your existing AR/M4 style upper and converts it into a PCP .177-caliber competition air rifle with 21″ free floating Lothar Walther™ barrel. Designed to support 10-meter match air rifle competition, the MAR177 is also suited for service rifle shooters who want to practice indoors in winter. Fitted with a 10-shot rotary magazine, all the shooter has to do work the bolt back every time after firing. The air reservoir offers up to 120 shots per fill.
It looks like the Crosman MAR177 will be popular. Crosman’s Deboard noted that: “We took the MAR177 to Camp Perry last summer for the High Power Rifle Championships, shot it inside the 20 foot Crosman Trailer and everyone loved it.”
Price and Availability
The MAR177 starts shipping 1/25/2012. It is available initially at crosman.com, creedmoorsports.com, and pilkguns.com. Look for retail price around $700, though Creedmoor Sports has a pre-order price of $600.
At SHOT Show, Creedmoor Sports’ General Manager, Dennis DeMille, spotted something that he thought would be a big hit with his customers — new builds of Springfield 1903-A3s and 1903-A4s using Remington or Smith Corona receivers with parkerized finishes. These rifles are built by Curt Wolfe at Rockridge Machine Works in Pennsylvania. DeMille learned about these rifles from Hornady’s Dave Emary, who gave Curt’s work at Rock Ridge a strong endorsement.
Dennis reports: “These rifles are NICE! Issue condition nice. Much nicer than the one I set a National Record with.” The A4s feature original Remington actions with turned-down GI bolt, fitted to new 30-06 4 groove, 1:10″ twist barrels chambered in .30-06. All fire-control parts are original GI. The A4s come with walnut-stained reproduction “C” stock, Malcolm reproduction of original Weaver 330C (M73B1) scope, original GI buttplate, and repro GI military leather sling. The A3s have original Smith Corona M1903 actions, click-adjustable iron sights, and will be available in both “Scant C” stocks and straight stocks. NOTE: Both the A3s and A4s use intact receivers, NOT re-welded decommissioned versions.
1903s Should Be Avaialble in Mid-February
Vintage military rifle shooters should find these rifles affordable. Dennis says: “We’ll be selling the A4s for $1,075.00, while the A3s will sell for $875.00. We should have some of all models in stock within a few weeks.” CLICK HERE for more info on Creedmoor’s new 1903-A3 or 1903-A4 rifles. Creedmoor Sports expects its first shipment from Rockridge in mid-February.
At SHOT Show 2012 we met with Andreas Krüger, managing director of Kruger Premium Targets, a family-owned business that has printed high-grade targets for over 40 years. Andreas takes great pride in the quality of his company’s targets. Andreas explained: “My family’s name is on every target we sell, therefore we want the quality to be the very best”. Kruger is the official target supplier for the International Shooting Federation, and FITA, the International Archery Federation. And now Kruger is producing official NRA targets for American shooters.
Shooting competitions are often won or lost by fractions of a centimeter in shot placement. Accordingly, it is important to use high-grade targets that provide sharp-edged bullet holes that can be measured with great precision. We are fortunate that Kruger produces official NRA targets for a wide variety of shooting disciplines — air pistol, air rifle, smallbore pistol, smallbore rifle, and centerfire competitions. These targets can be purchased through Kruger-US-Targets.com.
Kruger uses the best paper stock, and operates state-of-the-art printing machines, including one automated printing press that cost over two million Euros. The high quality of Kruger’s 210-gram board made from short-fiber raw materials, ensures that shot-holes have clean, well-defined edges. This makes a big difference, particularly with the low-velocity pellets used in airgun competition.
Stan Pate is the Captain of Savage’s National Championship F-TR Team. In this article, Stan explains how to adjust the action-screw tension on a three-screw Savage target action to achieve the best accuracy. The procedure described here can be used for any Savage action, including the two-action-screw models. However, the optimal settings for each particular rifle may vary slightly.
Match shooters need to get that extra accuracy edge from our ammunition and firearm. It is easy to get one of the Savage rifles to shoot accurately — even to match standards. If you are looking for that little bit more from your rifle, then please read a method that I have found that works for me. For those of you that are familiar with tuning a receiver (such as a match rimfire action), this article will be nothing new. For the rest of you, this might be new material. The goal here is to find the “sweet spot” for the rifle in relation to the torque settings used on the receiver screws. The proper torque settings [can vary] from rifle to rifle, but they will usually have a noticeable effect on consistent group sizes. A properly-torqued rifle will optimize the “harmonics” of the barreled action using the receiver screws so that the gun delivers peak consistency.
Here is the process I have found that works for me in tuning a Savage rifle receiver to peak accuracy. To use my process you first must already have a load that shoots accurately and consistently in your rifle, and I always use a fouled barrel like I’d be shooting in a match. This process works for me in both the model 10 (two receiver screws), and the model 12 (three receiver screws).
Seat Recoil Lug and Start with Front Action Screw(s)
On the model 12, I will first ensure that the recoil lug is seated securely against the stock by just lightly tightening up the front receiver screw then gently but firmly bumping the butt pad against the floor. Next I will tighten up the front two receiver screws to 30 inch-pounds starting at 20 inch-pounds and working up to the 30 inch-pounds in 5 inch-pound increments, and always tightening the front screw first and then the second screw. Once the front two receiver screws are torqued to the final torque setting, I will set the rear receiver screw to 5 inch-pounds and shoot a 5-shot group [to evaluate accuracy].
Increase Torque Incrementally on Rear Action Screw
After the group is shot and I am satisfied that I called all of the shots as good shots I will allow the rifle to cool off to about the temperature that the fist group was shot at. I will then add 5 inch-pounds to the rear receiver screw and shoot another five-shot group and allow the rifle to cool again. I repeat this process until I have tightened the rear receiver screw to 40 inch-pounds or have seen the groups get smaller and then start getting larger again. Once you have seen the groups decrease and then start to increase in size then you will have found the area of torque to work in. You can then can fine tune this to the exact inch-pound torque settings.
Tuning a Model 10 with Two Receiver Screws
The Savage model 10 action, which has two receiver screws, uses the same process as the three-screw model 12. Measure your group sizes and place the measurements in front of you so that you can see the bell curve showing where your best groups were achieved. NOTE — there may be a better way of doing this and if you should have one, I’d be very interested in hearing it. Good shooting and I hope to see you all on the range. – Stan Pate
This is on the Palma rifle using the torque settings of 30 inch pounds on the front two reciever screws, and 15 inch pounds on the tang screw, it is approximately 1/2″ center to center.
This is my second torque setting which for this rifle and this load is the optimal setting of 30 inch pounds on the front two reciever screws and 25 inch pounds on the tang screw, this group is approximately .180″ center to center.
This is the third torque setting which for this rifle is moving away from the optimal torque setting towards the heavy side of the scale. This torque setting results shows that you will usually see a “bell curve” of accuracy as you move into the optimal torque setting. This group is almost .7″ and the torque setting was 40 inch pounds.
This article was edited for length to appear in the Daily Bulletin.
Eleven-Time NRA National High Power Champion David Tubb knows a bit about long-range shooting. One of the key factors in long-range accuracy is making sure that the tilt/cant of your rifle does not change throughout your shot string. In the clip below, the first in McMillan’s Master Class Video series, David Tubb explains the importance of keeping your rifle level. He explains that, at 1000 yards, your Point of Impact can change dramatically by canting the rifle either right or left. David states that, when shooting at 1000 yards, if your rifle is level and your shot is centered-up on a 72″ (six-foot) square target, you can actually put your next shot OFF PAPER by canting your rifle. That means you can move Point of Impact (POI) three feet or more, just by canting your rifle! Bryan Litz confirms Tubb’s observation. Bryan tells us that, as a general rule of thumb (for common cartridges), a 1° cant will produce five (5) inches of lateral displacement at 1000 yards. Thus, if you cant your rifle just 8°, the POI would move 40″ from the center of the target, putting the shot off the edge of a 72″-wide target.
David explains that, after one of his students has made two or three 1000-yard, X-Ring hits with a LEVEL rifle, “then I’ll have him take his rifle, and cant it to the right. I’ll have him shoot a shot. He will MISS the six-foot-square frame off to the right. Then I’ll have him cant his gun to the left and shoot another shot. He will miss the six-foot-square frame to the left.”
Rifle Hold and Canting — Consistency Counts Remember that you must maintain the exact same amount of rifle cant from shot to shot. Yes, some iron sights shooters do tilt their rifle slightly to achieve a better hold or to index their sights better. However, these shooters do not change the tilt from shot to shot — the amount of cant remains the same on every shot.
When shooting prone with a scoped rifle it’s probably best to keep the rifle dead level, with the scope’s vertical crosshair straight up and down. Use a rifle-mounted bubble level to maintain a level hold, and avoid canting the gun either to the left or to the right. Affordable bubble levels that mount to your scope or scope rail can be purchased from Brownells and other vendors, starting at about $15.00.
Rule 2.11:
Sets residency and “paid-up” membership requirements for Club Team shooters. Different standards for (a) Local Club Teams; and (b) Open Club Teams.
Rule 3.3.2 NRA Any Sight Match Rifle/Tactical Rifle
Part (c) now reads: “Competitors may use a service rifle equipped with optic sights to compete under this rule. Competitors using service rifles described in Rules 3.1(c) and 3.1(d) may remove the carry handle to allow mounting of the optic sight.”
Rule 7.22 F-Class Long Range National Championships
This section now reads:
“Any match sponsor that wishes to conduct the F-Class Long Range National Championships shall use the following courses of fire:
Day 1, 3-15 shot 1,000 yard individual matches.
Day 2, 3-15 shot 1,000 yard individual matches.
Day 3, 2, 4-person team matches, 20 shots per individual plus the aggregate of the 2 team matches.
Day 4, 2-20 shot 1,000 yard matches.”
Rule 14.18 Signal Systems for Scoring Targets
The Visual Signaling System described below will be used in all high power rifle tournaments:
(a) Slow Fire: Value spotters are placed as indicated on the target frame, all of a highly visible color such as fluorescent orange or black. The shooter may request the color they can best see.
X ………………………….……Center Right side
10 ……………………………..Bottom right corner
9 ………………………………..Bottom center
8 ……………………….……….Bottom left corner
7 ………………….…………….Center left side
6……………….……… Center right side (same as X)
5 ……………..…….Bottom right corner (same as 10)
Miss ……………….Both bottom Left corner
……………………..and bottom Right corner
The 3-Gun Nation Championship is the culmination of a 10-event series involving nearly 2,000 match competitors across the country. The Championship finale will be held at night, under the lights, in front of an invitation-only SHOT Show crowd in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7 pm at the Clark County Range. The 3-Gun Nation elimination series began in November, with a field of 64 competitors. The top eight were selected to compete in the Championship match.
Winner Earns $50,000 — Courtesy Leupold and NBC Sports
Leupold has made sure the 2012 3-Gun Nation Championship finale features one of the largest payoffs in shooting history. The Oregon-based optics manufacturer has put up a $25,000 first-place prize. A matching offer from TV host NBC Sports brings the winner’s check to an unprecedented $50,000.
Man-on-Man Competition in Finals
The eight finalists will compete in a man-on-man shoot-off using rifles, shotguns and handguns. The first competitor to knock down all the steel targets, including the final stop plate, wins the match. Watch the Video below to see last year’s 3-Gun Nation Finale from Las Vegas:
The 3-Gun Nation Tour is the only point series and qualification standard-setting body in the sport of 3-gun and is sanctioned by the National Rifle Association. 3-Gun Nation matches can be seen on the new home of Versus, NBC Sports Network.
This Report was submitted by Darrell Buell, F-T/R Team USA Captain
The F-Class World Championships are just over a year and a half away. In the past four years, much has changed in the F-T/R game. Most noticeably, participation has increased greatly. We had 60 shooters at the 2011 Nationals in Lodi compared to 19 shooters in 2007. The level of competition has risen as well. There was a mere 3% spread in scores for the top 30 places this year. That’s tighter than it has ever been since I started keeping statistics. The top 15 spots had only a 2% score spread!
F-T/R Team USA Selection Process
With many more shooters and a higher level of competition, selecting the 2013 American F-T/R team was especially difficult. There were many qualified applicants to choose from. The selection criteria have not changed over the years. All of the 40+ applicants’ qualifications were dumped into a matrix to get sorted. The initial sort was done by examining the best data I have that compares all of the shooters side by side, i.e. Nationals scores. More weight was given to those times when I could compare shooter vs. shooter on the same relay, when they were facing the exact same conditions. From there, we used modifiers for International Team experience, and other factors. 50 million calculations later, a ranking was developed. This ranking was used to set the Roster List below.
USA F-T/R Team Roster:
Team Staff:
Captain: Darrell Buell
Vice Captain: Mike Miller
Head Coach: Mid Tompkins
Coach: Steve Cunico
Adjutant: Kathy Buell
Team Members:
Jeff Rorer
John Hayhurst
John Chilton
Chris Ozolins
John Weil
Dale Carpenter
Derek Rodgers
Team Members (cont’d):
Philip Kelley
Warren Dean
Brad Sauve
Paul Phillips
Monte Milanuk
Lane Buxton
Sierra Scott
As with past Teams, this roster will be used for the next four (4) years for International Competitions of every description. These events include (but are not limited to): 2013 F-Class World Championships in Raton, NM; 2013 South African International Matches in Bloemfontein; 2013 Stars & Stripes Challenge 2013; Creedmoor Cup; USA vs. Europe, and others.
Reserve Team Spots
The sharp-eyed will notice that I may seem to be a couple of shooters short. I am reserving a couple of spots to be named after the 2012 Nationals in Raton, in case other shooters are absolutely on fire this year, and would be good additions to the Team.
F-T/R Team USA Sponsors
As with past Team campaigns, the financial challenges (especially for the travel) will be considerable. I am absolutely committed to taking the very best Team I can field, regardless of finances. To this end, some outstanding sponsors are helping take some of the burden off the individuals: Berger Bullets, Nightforce Optics, Surgeon Rifles, Hodgdon Powder, Lapua, Kowa, and Redding Reloading. Many thanks to these and other sponsors for their continuing support.
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.
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