Lothar Walther has some new “pre-fit” barrel offerings that should interest Garand and AR shooters. Garand Match competitors and vintage military rifle shooters will be pleased that LW is now offering “finished” Garand barrels, pre-chambered in your choice of six (6) different chamberings: .270 Win, 7×64, .308 Win,.30-06, 8x57IS and 9.3×62. These are all four-groove barrels with 24″ length. Twist rates along with land/groove diameters are listed on the Lothar Walther website. NOTE: Though these barrels come pre-chambered, you’ll still need a competent gunsmith for final fitting and headspacing.
Finished M1 Garand Barrel
AR15 Barrels — Multiple Contour Options
For AR15 shooters, Lothar Walther now offers a wide variety of pre-chambered AR15 barrels, set up for either .222 Rem and .223 Rem. With the .223 Rem barrels you have a choice of either standard .223 Rem OR .223 Wylde chambers. You can select either stainless steel or what LW calls “special rifle steel”. For most of these contours, other calibers/chamberings (.204 Ruger, .17 Rem., .30/.221 Fireball, 6.5 CSS, 6.8 SPC) are available on request. Extra charges may apply. Gunsmith required for attachment of barrel extension, drilling of gas port, and attachment of gas block, and (optional) front sight.
Contour 6000:16
Contour 6100:20
Contour 6100:24
Contour 6200:24
Contour 6200:26
Contour 6300-1675-MU
North American customers can order these “finished” Garand and AR15 barrels by contacting:
Six decades after the introduction of the M16, Colt has added a gas piston system to the venerable AR15. Colt put a gas piston in this new AR-platform rifle in order to improve reliability and reduce fouling. The new gas-piston Colt AR, designated the LE6940P, will be sold to both civilians and law enforcement agencies. In selling a gas-piston AR, Colt is following the lead of Heckler & Koch (HK 416) and other manufacturers who have found a market among buyers seeking a lower-maintenance AR with significantly less internal powder fouling than the original direct-gas-impingement AR design.
Colt’s product press release declares: “Colt Defense LLC … has advanced its one-piece monolithic upper receiver to introduce the LE6940P. This modular carbine has an articulating link piston (ALP) operating system and offers shooters a highly accurate, lightweight and easy-to-clean AR-platform rifle with an extended lifespan. The advanced piston carbine (APC) is a lightweight, highly accurate alternative to the traditional direct gas impingement system found in most ARs. The LE6940P utilizes a unique articulating link piston (ALP) operating system, which reduces inherent stress in the piston stroke by allowing for deflection and thermal expansion. As a result, shooters are offered a highly accurate firing experience and the weapon’s lifespan is extended.”
Piston Design Developed for U.S. Military “The new LE6940P puts to use a new, improved version of a piston system that Colt originally pioneered for the U.S. Army,” said David Ridley, Vice President of Colt Defense LLC. Ridley added: “Colt was the first to put a piston system in an AR, and we have continued to improve on that system since. Now, any civilian shooter or law enforcement professional has the opportunity to shoot using this superior piston-operated AR.”
Monolithic Upper with Extended Rail
The LE6940P weighs just over 6.5 pounds, and measures 35 inches with stock extended. The rifle is chambered in .223 Rem (5.56×45 NATO) and uses standard AR15 magazines. Colt delivers the LE6940P with a full-length rail running from the rear of the upper receiver to the front sight. This allows many mounting options for sights and accessories. Colt has also includes a back-up iron sight (BUIS) and a folding front sight. The lower receiver is marked “Piston Carbine” and comes with a Colt/Rogers Super-Stoc M4 H-buffer stock kit with cam-lock lever, push-button QD swivel, and accessory kit. The standard barrel is a 16.5″-long M4-type contour with flash-hider. CLICK HERE for large photos of the internals, plus close-ups of the folding sights.
For many cartridge types, Hornady Superformance ammunition provides enhanced velocity compared to some other types of factory-loaded ammo. However, Hornady has found that there may be issues when Superformance ammo is shot in gas-operated guns with barrels under 20″, or with barrels fitted with suppressors. This is because the gas returning from the barrel port may cause the bolt to begin unlocking prematurely. Hornady has published the following information concerning the uses of Superformance ammo in direct impingment and gas piston self-loading rifles.
Internal Ballistics of Superformance Ammo in Semi-Auto Guns
Superformance™ ammunition is tested and is safely within SAAMI pressure guidelines. Gas operated (direct impingement or gas piston) firearms are perfectly safe to use with Superformance ammunition. However, Hornady ballisticians have conducted testing with a variety of guns (including guns equipped with suppressors), and our findings conclude that some systems work far better with Superformance ammunition than others.
It is recommended that to get the best functioning with Superformance ammunition in gas operated/gas piston semi-automatic or select fire guns, rifle length gas systems with 20 inch or longer barrel lengths are best for reliable firing and extraction. Any other configuration — particularly shorter barrels/gas systems — are best served with the installation of an adjustable gas system, ESPECIALLY if a suppressor is to be installed.
Due to the longer duration of peak pressure produced by Superformance, the post peak/declining port pressure at common carbine and mid-length gas port locations is still higher than that produced by standard propellant. This has a tendency to flood the system with a larger volume of gas, at a higher velocity, that tries to open the bolt of the gun too fast. It’s a timing issue. The cartridge case is still swollen from the application of pressure during firing while the gun is simultaneously trying to extract the cartridge case before it has had an opportunity to settle back to its original size, or more simply: the gun is still in the process or firing while it’s trying to extract the cartridge case.
If the firearm and the ammunition are not in sync, there can be what is commonly identified as “pressure signs” on the cartridge case. This is exhibited by the movement/marring of the head of the cartridge case, cratered primers, flat primers, ripped or ruptured cartridge cases, “popped primers”, and/or any combination of these effects. If any of these “pressure signs”; are apparent, stop firing immediately. If an adjustable gas system is installed, it is advisable to reduce the amount of gas flowing through the system by closing the gas port until the gun operates correctly.
With the installation of an adjustable gas system, gas pressure can be metered to a point that enough gas is applied to open the bolt, but at a slower rate to allow the cartridge case to return to its original diameter prior to the movement of the bolt, and thus allow for proper extraction.
Pressure VS Gas Port Location
Due to the longer duration of peak pressure produced by Superformance™, the post peak/declining pressure at common carbine and mid-length gas port locations is still higher than that produced by standard propellant. However, there is very little difference in port pressure between Superformance™ and standard propellants at the rifle length port location.
Superformance and Suppressors
The use of suppressors on rifles creates yet another dynamic in firearms design that is not commonly understood or communicated. Consider the suppressor on a firearm the same as a muffler on a car. The suppressor works as a filter for the gas (noise) that is escaping the barrel during firing. As a “filter”, it takes longer for the gas to leave the confines of the firearm, and thus, it creates back pressure. This back pressure, ESPECIALLY in a gas operated firearm forces an extensive amount of gas back through the firearm’s operating system that may create too much thrust too early during the firearm’s cycle of operation.
To counteract this back pressure, the use of an adjustable gas system is advised. By metering the gas system to ensure that it will cycle the firearm correctly and not flood the system with gas/pressure, the gun will work properly and will still benefit dramatically from the increased velocity potential of Superformance ammunition.
Here’s good news for AR fans who want to add an ultra-accurate Tubegun to their rifle collection. Now you can use many popular AR-specific buttstocks with Eliseo CSS Tubegun Chassis Kits. Gary Elesio has crafted a new adapter that fits between the Tubegun’s action sleeve and the buttstock, allowing the use of the many AR buttstocks which fit an AR buffer tube. The new adapter, priced at $60.00, is a simple, no-gunsmithing installation.
The buffer tube (with buffer removed) simply screws into the female-threaded CSS adapter unit, and then the AR buttstock is secured to the buffer tube (either by set-screws or locking collars, depending on the design). Finally, the whole assembly (AR buttstock plus adapter) slides into the rear of the Tubegun’s action sleeve, where it is secured by a tensioning screw.
Gary Eliseo of CompetitionShootingStuff.com (CSS) explains: “I’ve had lots of demand to support AR buttstocks on my chassis systems. The Lightweight Hunter Chassis will now be supplied with an adapter for mounting an AR buffer tube. This adapter, with an anodized finish, will also be available as an option for other CSS Chassis Kits. The whole system is reasonably light with an AR buttstock installed. With an ACE skeleton-style AR stock (shown in photos) the whole Tubegun weighs right at eight (8) pounds. That was with action in place and a 24″ sporter-weight barrel, but without optics. Some heavy-barrel ARs weigh more than that.” NOTE: The Chassis in the photos is right off Gary’s machines, so it is bare metal. As delivered, CSS Chassis Kits come with an Anodized, Cerakote, or Powder-coat finish, according to buyer preference.
Eliseo’s Light Weight Hunter (photo below) will now be delivered with the AR adapter, rather than a CSS-made buttstock. This gives the chassis purchaser the ability to choose from a variety of third-party buttstock designs, including collapsible stocks. The good news is the price of the CSS Light Hunter Chassis with Cerakote finish will be reduced $90.00 to $685.00. That’s a great deal when you consider most guys can use a buttstock they already acquired for their AR(s). If you have any questions about Gary’s new buttstock adapter, you can post in this Forum Thread, and Gary can give you an answer. Alternatively, email your questions to: order.info [at] competitionshootingstuff.com.
Shown above is Gary Eliseo’s Light Weight Hunter with original CSS-made tubular buttstock. From now on, Light Weight Hunter Chassis Kits will be supplied with an AR buttstock adapter (and no buttstock), so the purchaser can select his preferred buttstock design from a variety of third-party options. This change allowed CSS to reduce the Light Weight Hunter Chassis price to $685.00 (including adapter).
From March 15 through April 22, 2012, Nikon will give a free scope mount to purchasers of select-model AR scopes. Yep, if you buy a qualifying Nikon AR riflescope, you’ll receive the corresponding AR mount (retail value up to $99.95) for free. Included in the offer are Nikon’s P-22, P-223, and M-223 riflescopes. Nikon’s M-223 and P-223 scopes are built specifically for the .223 Remington cartridge. With BDC (bullet drop compensating) or Nikoplex reticles, they are designed to give AR shooters a high quality optic with fast sighting speed. The P-22 is the rimfire-optimized variant designed for the .22LR cartridge.
Choose Two-Piece or One-Piece AR-specific Scope Mounts
Nikon has developed two types of AR scope mounts for AR platform rifles. The new P-Series mount (shown above) is a two-piece design that can mount a P-22 or P-223 scope to almost any AR platform rifle. The M-223XR mount is a one-piece design made for the M-223 riflescope. The angled-base M-223XR offers +20 MOA of built-in elevation for long-range shooting.
The P-Series mount is available with the purchase of the following P-223 or P-22 scopes:
P-223 3×32 Carbine Reticle (#8496) | P-223 3-9×40 BDC 600 (#8497) | P-22 2-7×32 (#8498, #8499)
The M-223XR mount is available with the purchase of any of the following M-223 scopes:
M-223 1-4×20 (#8485) | M-223 2-8×32 (#8486, #8487) | M-223 3-12×42 (#8488, #8489)
To learn more about Nikon’s free scope mount promotion, visit NikonPromo.com after March 15, 2012. NOTE: Offer excludes Nikon M-223 2.5-10×40 Laser IRT (#8491); and M-223 4-16×42 (#8492, #8493).
At Media Day right before SHOT Show, Thompson/Center Arms unveiled an innovative hunting rifle that features interchangeable barrels and multiple bolts. This allows a single gun to shoot a wide range of chamberings — from .204 Ruger all the way up to the large, belted magnums. The gun employs some unusual engineering, with an AR-type barrel nut on a barrel extension which contains the bolt-lug recesses. There is no conventional recoil lug. Instead a slot on the underside of the barrel extension mates to a metal bar molded into the stock. With the supplied tools, the entire gun can be assembled or disassembled in under one minute (in the Video, a T/C rep assembles the gun in 55 seconds.)
T/C’s Dimension rifle is definitely innovative; there is nothing like it on the market anywhere near its price range (MSRP is $648.00 with tools). For a walking-around deer hunter who is satisfied with factory barrels, and who doesn’t shoot with a rear bag, the gun will probably have appeal. On the other hand, varminters won’t be impressed — the stock won’t work well with a bipod or rear bag, and T/C will be the only source for barrels. The nature of the design, for practical purposes, precludes the use of affordable 3rd-party barrels. You won’t be able to buy a Shilen or PacNor prefit barrel, as you can for a Savage.
Factory Promo Video (Loud Soundtrack — turn down speakers before playback!)
Action Features Pro: One size fits all — single hard-anodized aluminum action can be used to shoot multiple chamberings from .204 Ruger to .300 Win Mag with bolt, barrel, and magazine swap. For all chamberings, T/C guarantees 3-shot accuracy of one MOA with premium ammo. Con: You have to replace complete bolt assembly to go from one family of cartridges to another (e.g. from .308 Win to Magnum). This is much more expensive than swapping a bolt head on a Savage.
Barrel Fitting Pro: Barrels can be quickly exchanged using provided tools. Con: Bolt recesses are machined into barrel extension section, so barrels must be supplied by T/C. We were told that both bolts and barrels “absolutely have to come from Thompson/Center”.
Stock Features Pro: Stock is lightweight with rubberized surface texture — good for wet climates. Con: Stock is ugly. Forearm too flexy to use with bipod. Concave arc on underside of buttstock is terrible for use with rear bag. Stock finish tends to retain dust and grit.
Scope Mounting Pro: T/C offers a bridge scope base that mounts to the barrel (like on Blasers). This allows an optic to stay with a barrel — so you could have a low-power close-range scope mounted and zeroed on one barrel, with a higher-power variable scope on another barrel. Con: If you keep optics on the barrels, you need to buy a separate bridge for each barrel. That’s an added expense, plus many hunters can’t afford multiple scopes anyway. Thankfully, conventional Weaver bases can be fitted on top of the action.
Commentary: On viewing and handling the rifle, and watching the assembly process, it was obvious that some intelligent, clever engineering went into the gun. The AR-style barrel engagement system functions very well — the whole gun can be disassembled in under one minute. T/C provides some fairly sophisticated assembly tools with the gun, including wrenches that automatically set correct torque values. That’s cool. The gun is relatively light and balances well. On the other hand, the stock design fails in many ways. The fore-arm is short and too flexy for serious use with bipod. The curving underside of the buttstock is a odd-looking, but what is worse, the curve is just about the worst possible profile for use with a rear sandbag. Most observers thought the gun was ugly.
T/C Dimension Caliber Groups
The T/C Dimension LOC™ System has 7 parts — a universal stock and receiver that accept multiple barrels, magazine groups (magazine and housing), bolts and bridge scope mounts. Dimension hand tools work with all Dimension rifles. Interchangeable parts are stamped with letters: A, B, C or D. Match the letter on the barrel with the one on the bolt and magazine group.
A Family: .204 Ruger, .223 Rem
B Family: 22-250 Rem, .243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, .308 Win
C Family: .270 Win, .30-06 Sprg
D Family: 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag
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.
Alexander Arms is now shipping production 17 HMR AR15 rifles and 17 HMR upper receiver kits. The complete rifles are the only semi-auto rifles specifically designed to reliably shoot the 17 HMR cartridge. Alexander Arm’s 17 HMR rifle does not employ a reworked .22LR rimfire action. Instead the gun features a new bolt assembly design purpose-built built to work with the 17 HMR cartridge. This is good news for varmint hunters who want semi-auto capability for fast follow-up shots in the varmint fields.
The complete rifle comes standard with a straight fluted 18″ stainless barrel, A1 flash-hider, free-floating composite hand guard and two molded-plastic 10-round magazines. Options include a spiral-fluted barrel and MK3 railed upper receiver. Alexander Arms’ 17 HMR ARs will be offered in both fixed stock and collapsible-stock versions. The upper receiver kit includes all the ancillary items needed to convert existing AR15 lowers to work with the 17 HMR cartridge.
17 HMR Basics
If you are not familiar with the 17 HMR, it is a popular varmint cartridge effective out to 200 yards or so. With typical muzzle velocities of 2550-2650 fps, the little 17 HMR packs much more punch than a .22LR, while bucking the wind much better. CLICK HERE for Varmint Al’s 17 HMR webpage, which provides a comprehensive analysis of 17 HMR ballistics, kinetic enegy, and effectiveness on small varmints.
Video Showing Alexander Arms 17HMR Bolt Cycling in Slo-Mo
On its website, Alexander Arms reports: “Our initial production run will be 500 units. We are extremely pleased with this [17 HMR] caliber. With help from Hornady, this unit has been extensively tested and has proven itself to be very capable in the field. At the recent Big 3 Event, we ran two rifles out to ranges of 400 yards and despite windy conditions… the guns performed well. While running guns at the Big 3 we had an opportunity to run one of the rifles with the excellent magnum rimfire silencer from Thunderbeast Arms Corp. The rifle exhibited a slight shift in zero and ran without a hitch for the two days of the event. This unscheduled test provided a quick insight into the flexibility of the rifle and everyone agreed that this combination would serve well for any varminting purposes.”
Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC (“Colt”) announced that it will open a new firearms production facility in Kissimmee, Florida. Colt’s announcement did not discuss plant closures elsewhere, but we expect that some of Colt’s production (and jobs) will be moved from New England to Florida. Colt’s press release states: “The new 16,000-square foot facility will allow Colt’s Manufacturing Company to expand into new markets and business lines in parallel with the company’s existing 100,000-square-foot facility in Connecticut. Specific information on facility renovations and employee requirements will be determined over the course of the next several months.”
Colt Introduces New California-Compliant ARs
In related news, Colt has introduced a series of California-compliant AR15s. This is good for “black rifle” fans in the Golden State. Colt’s CA-legal ARs include: a 16″ barrel M4 Clone (LE6920CA) with adjustable stock; an Accurized rifle with 24″, 1:8″ twist heavy barrel (CR6724CA), and a “Patrol Rifle” that features Magpul furniture (6920CMP-B). All of Colt’s new California-compliant rifles are test-fired at the factory, and they all have mil-spec barrel, chamber, and bolt carrier group. In addition, Colt’s ARs receive special metal testing. Steve Comus, who reviewed Colt’s new ARs for Western Outdoor News, explains: “There is a magnetic particle inspection test done on all Colt rifles. After a rifle passes the MP (Magnetic Particle) test, MP is stamped on the bolt and barrel, as is C for Colt and MP on barrel. To pass, every single barrel and bolt goes through an over pressure test of 70,000 psi to make sure it can handle high pressure. Colt then takes rifle barrel and bolt and does a magnetic particle test on them. Barrels on mil spec barrels are chrome-lined. Accurized barrels are not chrome-lined.”
Legendary pistol and 3-Gun shooter Jerry Miculek stars in a great instructional DVD set from Brownell’s. The 3-Disc DVD set, “Jerry Miculek Practical Rifle”, shows Jerry working his magic with AR-platform carbines. This DVD set is available from Brownells.com (item 100-004-974) and from Jerry’s website.
The Jerry Miculek Practical Rifle DVDs cover every aspect of shooting the AR-15 in multi-gun matches — from the basics of stance, grip, trigger control, all the way to advanced shooting techniques. Specific topics covered include: 1) Setting up your rifle; 2) Stance grip and trigger technique; 3) Acquiring targets more quickly; 4) Shooting on the move; 5) Shooting multiple and moving targets; 6) Shooting behind cover; 7) Reloads and malfunction drills. Along with the instructional demos, the DVD provides basic and advanced drills that viewers can use to improve their shooting speed and accuracy.
The Miculek Practical Rifle DVD comes in a 3-Disc set. Disc One covers gun set-up and hardware selection (trigger, barrel, optics). Disc Two covers shooting technique — stance, position, weight distribution, target acquisition and other gun-handling skills. Disc Three is the “Application” — Jerry shoots typical courses of fire, showing how to engage various types and locations of targets with maximum efficiency.
We predict serious multi-gun shooters will add this DVD set to their libraries. Produced entirely at Brownell’s studios in partnership with Jerry Miculek’s Bang Inc., the complete 3-Disc set runs 2 hours and 17 minutes. Each Disc features multiple camera angles (including “shooters’ eye view” through the optic), slow motion footage, and animated illustrations.
Sharp Shoot R™ Precision Products, the makers of Wipe-Out foam bore cleaner, has a new cleaning product designed for ARs and other semi-autos that tend to run dirty and accumulate carbon. Sharp Shoot R’s new Tactical Advantage™ is a very carbon-aggressive bore cleaner that will remove copper fouling as well as powder fouling with a minimum of effort. Run it on a patch (or nylon brush) to dissolve carbon and copper fouling in the bore. Mix it 50/50 with water and spray it on the bolt, muzzle brake, and other parts which accumulate soot and carbon in regular use.
When sprayed on bolt carriers, bolts, and brakes, Tactical Advantage will dissolve carbon on contact — without ammonia or acids in the formula. In fact the chemistry in Tactical Advantage actually protects metal from corrosion after it cleans.
Terry Paul, Sharp Shoot R’s owner and chemistry wizard, says that: “Tactical Advantage has been designed to be a maximum-strength product. In our testing we found that Tactical Advantage was capable of dissolving more fouling faster than any product currently on the market. We developed this product with the aid and consultation of competitive shooters, gunsmiths, barrel makers, and tactical firearms manufacturers. The R&D team produced a revolutionary new type catalyst that provides exceptional cleaning power.” We’ve heard similar claims about many other gun cleaners, but Tactical Advantage has some interesting properties:
Tactical Advantage is odorless, and contains NO ACID and NO AMMONIA.
Tactical Advantage is safe for all steels (both stainless and carbon) and all metal plating (including chrome-lined barrels).
Tactical Advantage is harmless to modern gunstock finishes on wood, carbon fiber, or fiberglass. (However, it is not for use on shellac, varnish, or oil finishes.)
Tactical Advantage cannot gum or leave behind solids that render the firearm useless.
Tactical Advantage is effective on copper fouling, and it aggressively dissolves carbon fouling on contact.
Bore Cleaning — With the breach open, apply into the barrel with a patch or nylon brush which has been wetted with the solution. Place the firearm down horizontally on the bench. Wait for 15 to 20 minutes. Put a clean cotton patch on a good jag and push through the bore. Or run two strokes through the bore with a nylon brush and Tactical Advantage will produce a thick lather. Allow it to set as per original instructions for faster results.
Bore Swabbing During Matches — You can use Tactical Advantage as a barrel swab in between relays or between shot strings to remove powder fouling and begin the job of dissolving carbon and copper. This method is a quick solution that works for High Power shooters who have limited time to clean their firearms between relays.
Parts Cleaning — Mix Tactical Advantage 50/50 with water in a spray bottle. Spray dirty parts fouled with powder residue or carbon. Use same method for muzzle brakes and suppressors.
Tactical Advantage costs $15.99 (MSRP) for a 8 oz. plastic bottle that will clean as many guns as two cans of Wipe-Out foam. Get Tactical Advantage from major vendors, or order direct from:
Grafs.com is running promotions right now on new products from Hodgdon Powder Co. and Nosler. First, Grafs.com has Hodgdon’s new CFE223 in stock for $21.99 per pound. This new powder is ideal for the .223 Rem and other popular chamberings. We’ve found that CFE223 delivers good velocity and it meters well. Hodgdon claims the proprietary powder formulation can reduce the amount of copper fouling in barrels — so you can shoot more and clean less. What’s more — if you purchase 32 pounds of smokeless powder, Grafs.com will waive the $25.00 hazmat fee, and yes you can “mix and match” different types of powder in your order.
Next, Grafs.com is offering promo pricing on Nosler’s new Varmageddon 40gr, flat-based polymer-tipped Varmint bullets. These new bullets run fast from a .223 Rem. The special tapered-wall jacket design (thin-wall at top, thick at bottom) and the polymer tip assure explosive impact on prairie dogs and other critters. A 100-ct box of .224 cal, 40gr Varmageddon projectiles is just $14.29.
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Lothar Walther has some new “pre-fit” barrel offerings that should interest Garand and AR shooters. Garand Match competitors and vintage military rifle shooters will be pleased that LW is now offering “finished” Garand barrels, pre-chambered in your choice of six (6) different chamberings: .270 Win, 7×64, .308 Win,.30-06, 8x57IS and 9.3×62. These are all four-groove barrels with 24″ length. Twist rates along with land/groove diameters are listed on the Lothar Walther website. NOTE: Though these barrels come pre-chambered, you’ll still need a competent gunsmith for final fitting and headspacing.
“The new LE6940P puts to use a new, improved version of a piston system that Colt originally pioneered for the U.S. Army,” said David Ridley, Vice President of Colt Defense LLC. Ridley added: “Colt was the first to put a piston system in an AR, and we have continued to improve on that system since. Now, any civilian shooter or law enforcement professional has the opportunity to shoot using this superior piston-operated AR.”
Here’s good news for AR fans who want to add an ultra-accurate Tubegun to their rifle collection. Now you can use many popular AR-specific buttstocks with 
Commentary: On viewing and handling the rifle, and watching the assembly process, it was obvious that some intelligent, clever engineering went into the gun. The AR-style barrel engagement system functions very well — the whole gun can be disassembled in under one minute. T/C provides some fairly sophisticated assembly tools with the gun, including wrenches that automatically set correct torque values. That’s cool. The gun is relatively light and balances well. On the other hand, the stock design fails in many ways. The fore-arm is short and too flexy for serious use with bipod. The curving underside of the buttstock is a odd-looking, but what is worse, the curve is just about the worst possible profile for use with a rear sandbag. Most observers thought the gun was ugly.
The 7.4-lb 
17 HMR Basics
