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February 3rd, 2024

Good Book for Maintenance and Repair of AR-15 Type Rifles

AR-15 gunsmithing maintenance setup repair book patrick sweeney

AR owners know that their black rifles require regular cleaning and maintenance. And this modular platform allows many options for stocks, fore-arms, and optics mounting. That ability to customize is one of the AR’s major attractions, but customization requires solid understanding of the AR’s design and components.

To help AR owners optimize their rifles and maintain their rifles properly, Gun Digest Media publisihes a 320-page illustrated book: AR-15 Setup, Maintenance and Repair. Authored by Patrick Sweeney, this book is a “one-stop guide to repairing, maintaining and modifying America’s favorite rifle.” The current publisher price for the book is $29.50 from Gun Digest, but it is available “used like new” on Amazon for $24.15* in paperback. Digital editions are offered by GunDigest for $27.99.

Note, if you are interested in the book, there is a substantial 40+ page FREE sample available on the Amazon site. You can see the entirety of the first two chapters from the Kindle digital version. CLICK HERE to visit Amazon.com and then click on the button labeled “Read Sample” below the cover image.

AR-15 gunsmithing maintenance setup repair book patrick sweeney

AR-15 gunsmithing maintenance setup repair book patrick sweeneyAR Set-Up and Maintenance
If you need to disassemble and maintain your AR rifle, swap barrels or handguards, add optics, or customize the stock, Gun Digest’s AR-15 Setup, Maintenance and Repair book tells you what you need to know. From field-stripping to barrel mounting and trigger installations, the book covers a wide range of topics. The book provides step-by-step instructions for set-up and maintenance, with hundreds of detailed photos. The book also includes AR gunsmithing chapters with reviews of recommended tools.

Author Patrick Sweeney is a certified master gunsmith and armorer instructor for police departments. Sweeney has also authored the notable 4-volume Gunsmithing the AR-15 series (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, and Vol. 4) and 20+ other titles for Gun Digest Books.

Whether you want to learn about disassembling your AR for regular maintenance, field-stripping, swapping out parts, adding optics or customizing a stock, AR-15 Setup, Maintenance and Repair guides you through everything you need to know to keep your AR-platform rifle running well. There are also tips on how to improve accuracy, and maintain your bolt carrier group properly.

• Hundreds of detailed photos
• Step-by-step maintenance & repair
• Accessories & modifications
• Tips, tools & techniques

Authored by Patrick Sweeney
Published by Gun Digest Books
ISBN-13: 978-1951115470
320 pages, softcover, 8 ¼ x 10 7/8 inches

Editor’s NOTE: The key to keeping an AR running reliably is proper lubrication (in the RIGHT places), and regular cleaning of the bolt carrier and bolt, including ejector recess and extractor recess. The majority of non-functioning ARs we’ve seen had gunk, lube, carbon, and brass shavings in those recesses.

Other AR Books by Patrick Sweeney
AR-15 gunsmithing maintenance setup repair book patrick sweeney

Bonus Video — AR15 Maintenance with Jerry Miculek


In this helpful video, legendary shooting Jerry Miculek explains how he cleans and maintains his AR-platform rifles. Miculek shoots ARs in three-gun competitions.


* Current new price on Amazon is $33.47 with free shipping for total orders over $35.00.

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December 29th, 2023

Shooting Sports USA — 2023 Cover Stories

shooting sports usa john parker 2023 cover stories

The NRA’s Shooting Sports USA magazine covers a wide spectrum of competitive shooting sports: F-Class, High Power, Palma, Shotgun (Trap/Skeet), Air Rifle 3P/Prone, Rimfire 3P/Prone, Target Pistol, and major Action Pistol events. Each month Shooting Sports USA releases a new issue with reports on major competitions for a wide range of disciplines. Along with the print magazines, the leading stories are posted on the SSUSA.org websites. In addition, every month the full magazine is released in digital format.

Shooting Sports USA recently released a web-based article featuring its twelve 2023 cover stories.

CLICK HERE to see all 12 Shooting Sports USA 2023 cover stories.

Below are four of our favorite Shooting Sports USA cover stories from 2023. Click each cover to read the full story via the Shooting Sports USA digital archive. Note, if this is your first visit, you will first see an NRA webpage requesting that you verify your age before reading the stories.

shooting sports usa john parker 2023 cover stories

Sighting In New Shooters and Eye Dominance

March 2023, photo by John Parker. READ the cover story by Field Editor Chris Christian.


shooting sports usa john parker 2023 cover stories

2023 F-Class World Championships in South Africa

June 2023, photo by U.S. F-Open Team. READ the cover story by John Parker.


shooting sports usa john parker 2023 cover stories

2023 NRA National Matches and 2024 NRA World Shooting Championship Update

July 2023, photo by John Parker. READ the cover story by John Parker.


shooting sports usa john parker 2023 cover stories

Record Breaker: Jerry Miculek Sets Two NRA World Records

November 2023, photo by John Parker. READ the cover story by John Parker.


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October 10th, 2023

How to Clean Your AR-15 — Important Maintenance Tips

Barrel cleaning AR15 bolt carrier carbon Jerry Miculek gas key direct impingement

AR-platform rifles can be maintenance-intensive beasts. But some AR owners make the situation worse by not regularly cleaning important small parts, or by using too much oily/greasy lubricants in the wrong places. A properly maintained and lubricated AR15 can shoot hundreds of rounds (between cleanings) without a problem. If you learn where (and where not) to apply lubricant, you’ll find that your AR will run more reliably and the task of cleaning the bolt and bolt carrier will be less of a burden.

Here is a good video that explains AR-15 Cleaning and Maintenance. In this 30-minute NSSF video, Gunsite Academy instructor and gunsmith Cory Trapp discusses the proper way to clean and maintain the AR-15 carbine. Very knowledgeable, Trapp provides rock-solid advice for AR owners. Along with cleaning procedures, this video explains how to inspect key components and how to function-test your AR before each shooting session.

AR-Platform Rifle Maintenance — Inspection, Cleaning, Function-Testing

AR15 AR-15 gun cleaning maintenance

If you want to keep your black rifle running smoothly and reliably, you must clean it regularly and follow the correct maintenance procedures. Here’s another good video that explains how to properly disassemble and clean AR-platform rifles.

Take-Down and Full Cleaning of AR15 by Jerry Miculek

Here ace shooter Jerry Miculek takes down and cleans an AR-platform rifle belonging to his daughter Lena. This is a good video because Lena’s rifle was “run hard and packed up dirty” so you can see where carbon and grease build up. This 35-minute video is very thorough. Jerry is one of the nation’s top action carbine shooters, so listen carefully to his advice on cleaning and lubrication.

AR15 AR-15 gun cleaning maintenance

AR15 AR-15 gun cleaning maintenance

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October 6th, 2023

Always Wear Eye Protection — You Only Have One Set of Eyes

Sherri Gallagher
Sherri Jo Gallagher, the second woman in history to win the NRA High Power National Championship, sports Eye Protection at Camp Perry. The first lady High Power Champion was Sherri’s mother, Nancy Tompkins.

In response to a Bulletin article about Protective Eyewear, one of our Canadian readers posted a personal story. His account demonstrates the importance of wearing eye protection whenever you shoot — no matter what type of firearm you are using — even air rifles. We hope all our readers take this to heart. All too often at rifle matches we see shooters, even some top competitors, risking their vision by failing to wear eye protection.

Eye and Hearing Protection are now MANDATORY for Highpower Rifle competitors and Pistol shooters in all CMP-affiliated matches. The 2020 CMP Highpower Rifle, Pistol, and CMP Games Rulebooks all contain the following rule: “All competitors and competition officials are required to wear appropriate eye and hearing protection when on shooting range firing lines during highpower rifle or pistol firing. All competitors must comply with this requirement before they can participate in a CMP sponsored or sanctioned competition. Competitors are responsible for selecting their eyewear and hearing protection.”

2020 CMP Civilian Marksmanship program rules Highpower High Power mandatory eye protection

Red Ryder BB Gun safetyEye Protection — Lesson Learned
by Nicholas from Canada
As a boy on a mixed farm on the plains the first shooting stick I owned was a Red Ryder BB gun. My Dad bought it for me as I showed a keen interest in the shooting and hunting sports. I was about 9 years old at the time.

We had literally thousands of sparrows in our large farm yard and they liked to roost on the steel railings in the barn loft. I took to slowly thinning out their ranks by flashlight at night as these little winged pests settled in the farm buildings.

One evening as I slayed sparrow after sparrow in the barn loft — with about a dozen farm cats following me to consume these easy meals, I fired at another bird centered in my flashlight beam.

However, my aim was a bit low — and the copper pellet hit the steel beam square on. Instantly I felt a sharp pain as the BB bounced back and hit me squarely between the eyes on the bridge of my nose – drawing blood from the partial penetration into the skin. A half inch either way and I’d have lost an eye!

Never, never, never shoot at any target with a steel background with any firearm, even a BB gun – is the hard lesson I learned, and wear the best shooting glasses that money can buy!

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT!!

Editor’s Comment: Among competitive pistol shooters, the use of safety eyewear is universal. You’ll never see Rob Leatham, Julie Golob, or Jerry Miculek competing without eye protection — for good reason. The handgun sports’ governing bodies effectively enforce mandatory eye protection policies. We wish the same could be said for competitive rifle shooting. We often see benchrest, High Power, and F-Class competitors shooting without eye protection. We’ve heard all the excuses, yet none of them trump the safety considerations involved.

We recommend that all shooters and hunters employ eye protection whenever they use firearms or are at a location where live fire is taking place. You only have two eyes. A tiny bullet fragment or ricochet is all it takes to cause permanent blindness in one or both eyes. As rifle shooters, we place our eyes a couple inches away from a combustion chamber operating at pressures up to 70,000 psi. I know quite a few guys who will religiously put on safety glasses when running a lathe or a drill press, yet the same guys won’t use eye protection when shooting their rifles — simply because it is “inconvenient”. That’s nuts. It doesn’t matter is you are a cub scout or a multi-time National Champion — you should wear eye protection.

I will give you a personal example. A year ago I was shooting a 9mm pistol. One of the cartridges had a primer burst outward blowing small particles, some brass, and a piece of the pistol’s extractor right back into my eyes. Thankfully I was wearing good wrap-around safety glasses. No injuries at all. But without those safety glasses, this could have been very serious. I always wear safety glasses with ALL firearms. Shown below is the same kind of primer blow-out I experienced, but with a .270 Win rifle cartridge.

primer blow-out safety glasse

Be wise — protect your eyes. To learn more about eyewear safety standards, and to learn about the latest options in ANSI Z87-certified protective eyewear, read our article on Eye Protection for Shooters.

Permalink Gear Review, Tech Tip 1 Comment »
July 7th, 2023

Listen to Jerry — Avoid Common Mistakes with Pistols and Rifles

Jerry Miculek gun video handling safety error garand sks AR15 revolver

Jerry Miculek is the best action revolver shooter who has ever lived. Miculek is also a true master with rifle and shotgun. This guy shoots hundreds of thousands of rounds every year in all types of firearms. Through that process, he has discovered common mistakes many shooters make. Those mistakes can harm the guns, or threaten the safety of the operator. Here Jerry offers some vital gun handling and safety advice in his “Never Do This” video series.

Jerry Miculek has won multiple revolvers championships, and has set amazing records for revolver speed shooting (with reloads). Yes Jerry, “Mr. Revolver”, knows a thing or two about wheelguns. In this video, Jerry explains how you can damage your revolver by using the wrong methods to open and close the cylinder and extract ammo. Jerry shows what NOT to do, and then he very carefully explains the proper procedure to release the cylinder, and swing it out of the frame. In addition, Jerry shows how best to swing a loaded cyclinder back into place. If you own a revolver, ANY revolver, you should definitely watch this video.

In this second video, Jerry explains common mistakes people make when handling and shooting three classic, semi-auto firearm types — the M1 Garand, the SKS carbine, and the M1911 pistol. Jerry shows handling faults that can cause out-of-battery detonation or early primer strikes, or cause jams in the Garand and SKS. Then Jerry explains why you should never release the slide on a M1911 pistol with a round already in the chamber. This is a must-watch video for Garand owners.

Here Jerry demonstrates of the most common jams that can happen with AR-platform rifles. Miculek reveals the cause of the issue and then shows how to prevent it. Jerry notes: “This is one of those malfunctions that you won’t see coming! I’ve seen it … on the range and it can be devastating to your time in a match. All ammo used in the video were dummy rounds and intentionally loaded for training without powder or primers.”

Jerry Miculek gun video handling safety error garand sks AR15 revolver

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June 17th, 2023

Wheelgun Ace Miculek Compares S&W, Colt, & Ruger Revolvers

Jerry Miculek smith wesson colt python wheelgun ruger revolver showdown
Hornady sponsored shooter Jerry Miculek — Yamil Sued Photo.

If you are considering acquiring a revolver for fun shooting, self-defense, or competition, you should definitely watch this YouTube video. In this 23-minute presentation, legendary shooter Jerry Miculek puts three .357/.38 SPL wheelguns through their paces. Jerry, one of the greatest revolver shooters in history, hosts a “Revolver Showdown” with three popular wheelguns: 1) S&W L frame (3″ bbl); 2) Colt Python (6″ bbl); and 3) Ruger Speed Six (2.75″ bbl).

Smith & Wesson Model 686 Plus, L-Frame, 7-rd .357 Magnum/38 SPL, 3″ Barrel.
Jerry Miculek Revolver showdown comparison S&W Colt Ruger

Colt Python (Nickel), 6-rd .357 Magnum/38 SPL, 6″ Barrel.
Jerry Miculek Revolver showdown comparison S&W Colt Ruger

Ruger Speed Six, 6-rd .357 Magnum/38 SPL, 3″ Barrel.
Jerry Miculek Revolver showdown comparison S&W Colt Ruger

Jerry Miculek Revolver showdown comparison S&W Colt RugerTesting at 10 Yards and 50 Yards
In the video, Jerry shoots all three revolvers rapid-fire, double-action at 10 yards. Then he shoots the three guns single-action, slow-fire at 50 yards (starting at time mark 7:19).

After his range session, Jerry examines nine medium frame revolvers, comparing and contrasting design features. Jerry considers these factors:

1. Accuracy
2. Balance and Handling
3. Speed and Sureness of Trigger Return (watch video at 3:45″ re Colt.)
4. Reliability
5. Barrel Twist Rate
6. Strength of Construction/Durability

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June 2nd, 2023

How to Clean Your AR-15 — Three Good AR Maintenance Videos

Barrel cleaning AR15 bolt carrier carbon Jerry Miculek gas key direct impingement

Let’s face it, AR-platform rifles run dirty, at least compared to typical bolt-action rifles. The AR-15 works by piping gas from the barrel back into the bolt carrier, causing the bolt to unlock and the carrier to move the bolt backward. The “exhaust gas” from the barrel contains soot and carbon. The carbon will form hard deposits on the bolt. In addition, the carbon can combine with lube on the bolt carrier to make a nasty, paste-like sludge. This can be particularly problematic when the black paste pollutes the ejector and extractor recess.

This Editor has inspected dozens of ARs over the years. Other than mag-related malfunctions, the most common cause of AR cycling problems I found was oily gunk in the extractor and ejector areas. Many AR owners overlook these critical areas. Look at an AR that hasn’t been cleaned properly and you’ll probably find black gunk (and small brass shavings) in the ejector and extractor recesses.

If you want to keep your black rifle running smoothly and reliably, you must clean it regularly and follow the correct maintenance procedures. Here are three videos that explain how to properly disassemble and clean AR-platform rifles. And then they cover the essential lubrication ARs need to run reliably.

Take-Down and Full Cleaning of AR15 by Jerry Miculek

Here ace shooter Jerry Miculek takes down and cleans an AR-platform rifle belonging to his daughter Lena. This is a good video because Lena’s rifle was “run hard and packed up dirty” so you can see where carbon and grease build up. This 35-minute video is very thorough. Jerry is one of the nation’s top action carbine shooters, so listen carefully to his advice on cleaning and lubrication.

General AR-15 Maintenance and Lubrication

There are various schools of thought on AR lubrication. Some guys like to run “wet” with lots of CLP, while others choose to focus lubrication on the key spots that receive the most friction and wear, such as the contact point for the bolt carrier. We do advice check the ejector recess and extractor spring recess frequently as gunk can get in there, causing malfunctions. Here is a good video from Pew Pew Tactical — a 7-minute guide to cleaning and lubricating AR-platform rifles. This shows important details for both the upper and the lower.

How to Clean Your AR-15 Bolt Carrier Assembly

This video offers very specific advice on the bolt carrier group, which receives the dirty gas directly from the barrel. Be sure to check the extractor and ejector recesses. That’s where old lube, brass shavings, and carbon accumulate. Follow the directions in this video for lubrication, and don’t over-lubricate the bolt carrier — that will only capture more carbon.

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March 19th, 2023

Sunday GunDay: IWA Outdoors Classics 2023 — Euro SHOT Show

iwa outdoor classics 50th germany nuremburg shot show 2023

The IWA Outdoor Classics, aka the “Euro SHOT Show”, took place in Germany earlier this month. This show, the largest gun/hunting/outdoors trade show in Europe, ran for four days, March 2-5, 2023, in Nuremberg, Germany. Approximately 1,100 exhibitors attracted 34,000 visitors from 119 countries. With those numbers, the IWA Outdoor Classics ranks second only to the USA’s SHOT Show as a global trade show for shooting, hunting, and outdoor activities. This bodes well for IWA Outdoor Classics, which marks its 50th anniversary next year in 2024.

iwa outdoor classics 50th germany nuremburg shot show 2023

steyr iwa Rolan weigert bavaria

Legendary American Shooter Meets VIPs at IWA Show

There were quite a few notable American shooters at the IWA Show in Germany. Here, at the Mossberg booth, legendary pistol and rifle competitor Jerry Miculek meets with Roland Weigert, Bavaria’s State Secretary for Economic Affairs.

jerry miculek iwa mossberg smith wesson Rolan weigert bavaria

Feinwerkbau 900 Competition Air Rifle

Feinwerkbau 900
feinwerkbau 900

German gunmaker Feinwerkbau GmbH displayed a variety of Olympic-grade target rifles, including this impressive Model 900 with aluminum stock. The maker states: “Quality components come together to form a high-precision sporting rifle and a multitude of adjustment options ensure optimum ergonomics. The maintenance-free pressure reducer has been redesigned for even smoother system operation and ensures significantly reduced noise during firing. The optimized system bedding with double barrel clamping ensures highly precise groupings. This results in a new pace setter in the match air rifle sector.” The 900 Aluminum model is available in silver or black as standard, and, in addition, the model can be customized in 13 special colors for an additional charge.

Jumbo Display Bullets from Sax Munitions

sax munitions

Bullet and ammunition manufacturer Sax Munitions GmbH, had an eye-catching display of super jumbo-sized bullets. Just what you’d need to hunt a Dinosaur in Jurassic Park.

ATN
There were many innovative optics on display, such as this ATN ThOR LT day/night thermal rifle scope.

Mauser K98 Stock from Pro Mag | Archangel

pro Mag promag archangel mauser k98 stock

Do you have an old Mauser K98 that you’d like to modernize with a more ergonomic stock for hunting and fun competition? Well ProMag Industries has you covered. This polymer stock fits the classic K98 Mauser, and variants including German K-98s, Czech VZ-24, Yugo 48 / 48a, and Turkish. The stock is made from high strength carbon fiber and glass-reinforced black polymer. Actions are secured with precision-fit, inlet steel pillar bedding with free-floated barrel channel. Length of pull is thumbwheel-click-adjustable from 13.5″ to 14.25″. This ProMag K98 stock is offered in black (as shown), desert tan, and olive drab colorsl. This modern stock design lists for just $185.99 MSRP.

Chayeh Z20 — New Straight-Pull Hunting Rifle

Chayeh Z20 liwa arms rifle straight pull slovakia

The Chayeh Z20 from Liwa Arms in Slovakia is a new, straight-pull, bolt-actuated hunting rifle with five-round magazine. The maker states that the Chayeh Z20 is “accurate, safe, fast and reliable rifle with high-end finish for a very surprising price.” The Z20 is currently available in 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester with three different barrel lenghts and various stock designs.

Walther LP 500 Competition Air Pistols

walther rifle pistol carl lp 500 air pistol competition IWA 2023
walther rifle pistol carl lp 500 air pistol competition IWA 2023

Along with a variety of rimfire and centerfire rifles and pistols, Walther showcased its impressive LP 500 air pistol. This beautifully balanced and very ergonomic air pistol is used by top competitors in ISSF 10-meter air pistol events.

ISSC SPA Hunter Toggle-Action Rimfire Rifle

issc span hunter toggle-link

We like toggle-link actions. Originally developed for biathlon rifles where rapid cycling (with minimal rifle movement) is critical, toggle-link actions are now available for rimfire sport and hunting rifles. We were impressed with the ISSC toggle-link action rifle, displayed by the Waffen-Pfandleihhaus group at the IWA show. This ISSC SPA Hunter rifle features a nice wood stock and is offered in three (3) rimfire chamberings: .17 HMR, .22 LR, and .22 WMR. We’d like one of these rigs for ground squirrel safaris.

Classic Wood Stock on Modern Air Rifle — HM1000

hm1000 air rifle hunting rapid air weapons

The HM1000 from Rapid Air Weapons derives it’s linage from the Theoben Rapid 7. Featuring many of the same design cues, the HM (Hunting Model) departs from its family history with such features as side lever cocking, an on-board manometer, an easy access Foster-style fill adapter and fully regulated design. This Hunting model offers a very handsome, high-grade would stock. The fit and finish of this rifle is matched by high standards for accuracy and reliability.

Mini Spotting Scope from Noblex

noblex compact mini spotting scope NS 8-24x50 ED

There are times when you want something steadier and more powerful than binoculars, but you don’t want a massive, heavy spotting scope that might weigh 6 pounds or more. The European optics company Noblex offers a very lightweight (18.7 ounce) 6-24x50mm Mini Spotting Scope. We think many hunters and varmint shooters could use a product like this. Small and light (at just 1.17 pounds), it is also very affordable, with a $419.00 MSRP.

BONUS BLADES — IWA Knife Spotlight

Along with the many pistols, rifles, optics, and accessories displayed at the 2023 IWA show in Germany, there was a special award program for knives. Here are two of the award-winning blades at the IWA Knife Award Ceremony.

iwa knife knives blades awards ceremony

iwa knife knives blades awards ceremony

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February 5th, 2023

Sunday GunDay: Cartridge Showcase — .17 to .50 Caliber and Up

caliber cartridge video showcase reviews cgi .22 LR flat-shooting

For today’s Sunday Gunday Feature, we provide a selection of videos showcasing rifle and pistol cartridge types — from tiny .17 caliber cases to 30mm cases (and a few even bigger rounds). Two of the videos use advance computer animation to provide 3D views of dozens of cartridge types. Then there are some expert commentaries by Jerry Miculek and Ron Spomer discussing the characteristics and performance of various cartridge types. Finally, we provide two videos that discuss rimfire cartridges and show how .22 LR rounds are produced in a modern CCI factory.

90 Different Rifle Cartridge Types in Computer Animation

In this rifle ammunition comparison animation there are 90 different cartridge types, from very small (.22 Flobert) to very, very big (20mm Vulcan). This video employs sophisticated, 3D CAD animation to showcase 90 different rifle cartridges, one after the other, in sequence. It covers from .17 Caliber up to 20mm. Obviously a lot of time and effort went into this video, but it really is cool to see so many different cartridge types in one 3.5-minute video.

caliber cartridge video showcase reviews cgi .22 LR flat-shooting

After the full line-up is complete at 1:41, the video then provides other smaller comparison, such as multiple large hunting cartridges (2:15) and .22 Caliber cartridges (2:45, see above). All the cartridge models are made using Autodesk Inventor software, and then the “line-up” animation was completed with Autodesk Showcase.

Cartridge Types Included (in Caliber Order, then Metric Order):

1) .17 HM2
2) .17 HMR
3) .204 Ruger
4) .218 Bee
5) .22 Flobert
6) .22 Hornet
7) .22 LR
8) .22 Magnum
9) .22 PPC
10) .22 Short
11) .220 Jaybird
12) .223 Rem/5.56x45mm
13) .223 WSSM
14) .224 Weatherby Magnum
15) .225 Winchester
16) .240 Weatherby Magnum
17) .243 Winchester
18) .25 Remington Auto
19) .250 Savage
20) .25-06 Remington
21) .256 Winchester Magnum
22) .257 Roberts
23) .260 Remington
24) .264 Winchester Magnum
25) .270 Weatherby Magnum
26) .270 Winchester
27) .280 British
28) .280 Remington
29) .284 Winchester
30) .30 Carbine
31) .300 H&H Magnum
32) .300 Rem Ultra Magnum
33) .300 Savage
34) .300 Winchester Magnum
35) .300 Win Short Mag (WSM)
36) .30-06 Springfield
37) .303 British
38) .30-30
39) .308 Norma Magnum
40) .308 Winchester
41) .32 Winchester Special
42) .325 WSM
43) .338 Lapua Magnum
44) .35 Whelen
45) .350 Remington Magnum
46) .375 H&H Magnum
47) .376 Steyr
48) .408 Cheyenne
49) .416 Remington Magnum
50) .416 Weatherby Magnum
51) .444 Marlin
52) .450 Marlin
53) .450 Nitro Express
54) .458 Win Magnum
55) .45×70
56) .460 Weatherby Magnum
57) .465 H&H Magnum
58) .470 Nitro Express
59) .50 BMG / 12.7×99 NATO
60) .500 jeffery
61) .505 Gibbs
62) .577 Nitro Express
63) .577 Tyrannosaur
64) .600 Nitro Express
65) .700 Nitro Express
66) .950 JDJ
67) 4.6×30 mm
68) 4.6x30mm
69) 5.6×50 Magnum
70) 5.7x28mm
71) 5mm/SMc
72) 6mm LEE
73) 6.5×55 Swedish
74) 6.5×6 mm Schuler
75) 6.8mm Remington SPC
76) 6mm PPC
77) 6×45 mm
78) 7mm Weatherby Magnum
79) 7mm Remington Magnum
80) 7mm Rem Ultra Magnum
81) 7.62×39 mm FMJ
82) 7.7×58 Arisaka
83) 7.95×57 Mauser
84) 8mm Remington Magnum
85) 9.3x62mm
86) 9.3×64 Brenneke
87) 14.5x114mm
88) 20mm Vulcan
89) 25mmx137mm
90) 30mmx173mm

Ammunition Size Line-Up — from Tiny to Massive

This animation video shows the size comparison of ammunition from a 2.34mm rimfire caliber to the massive 800mm caliber shell of the Schwerer Gustav railway cannon used by German forces in World War II. This video includes many common rifle and pistol cartridges/calibers, but also includes large artillery ammunition. This video has very good CGI Graphics. Below is part of the line-up from the .17 Remington Fireball (far left) to the famed .50 BMG (far right):

caliber cartridge video showcase reviews cgi .22 LR flat-shooting

Ammunition Types Showcased in this video:

2.34mm rimfire
2.7mm Kolibri
3mm Kolibri
4.25 mm Liliput
.17 Hornady Mach 2
.17 Remington Fireball
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire
.22 Long Rifle
.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire
HK 4.6×30mm
4.6×36 Loffelspitz
5.45mmx18 MPTs
5.7×28mm SS190
.280 British 7×43
.297/230 Morris Short
.297/230 Morris Long
.30 Pedersen 7.65×20mm
7.92×33mm Kurz
.300 Winchester Short Magnum
8×50mmR Mannlicher
.499 LWR
.577/450 Martini–Henry
.600 Nitro Express
.470 Nitro Express
.50 Beowulf
.50 BMG
20×102 M55A3
25×137 M793
30×173 CPIC
30×211 vz.53
35×228 Oerlikon KD
L43 40x311mmR
L/70 40×365mmR
L/70 57mm
84×618mmR QF 20-PDR
120mm DM53
100mm TK APFSDS
Obusier de 400 modèle
BL 18-inch railway howitzer
Obusier de 520 modèle
600mm Karl-Gerät
800mm Schwerer Gustav

Popular Cartridges/Calibers for Self-Defense and Hunting

This video focuses on popular calibers/cartridges used for self-defense and hunting. It provides a quick but informative overview of the capabilities (and intended uses) of many types of pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammunition. The video discusses the pros/cons of various cartridge types and explains how you would select ammo for a particular purposes (e.g. skeet loads vs. defense shotshells). If you are considering buying a carry pistol and are undecided about caliber choice, this is a good video to watch.

Flattest-Shooting Cartridges by Caliber (Ron Spomer)

In this 15-minute video, hunting expert Ron Spomer examines a variety of standard and wildcat cartridges from .17 caliber all the way to .338 caliber. For each caliber, Ron picks a flat-shooting “winner” and provides some ballistics comparison tables. This video is quite popular, with over 550,000 views on YouTube.

Ammo Types and Calibers — Jerry Miculek Explains the Basics

In this video, legendary shooter Jerry Miculek talks about popular types of pistol and rifle ammunition and the various bullet options used for plinking, competition, and self-defense. Jerry, one of the greatest pistol shooters on the planet, provides useful insights on cartridge selection and bullet choices. Jerry notes: “There are a TON of different types of ammunition” so he explains the basics. And Jerry answers common questions such as: “What is the difference between ball and hollow-point bullets?” and “What type of gun takes rimmed cartridge versus rimless?”.

.22 Caliber Rimfire Cartridges — Some Key Facts Revealed

We recommend all .22 rimfire shooters watch this video from Old English Outfitters. It explains some important facts and clarifies some common misconceptions about to .22 caliber ammunition. To learn more about modern .22 LR rimfire ammo, we also recommend the video below, which shows how CCI .22 LR ammunition is manufactured, start to finish.

BONUS Video — How .22 LR Ammunition Is Made

22 .22 Plinkster Youtube Video CCI Speer Rimfire Ammo Ammunition plant Lewiston Idaho

YouTube host 22Plinkster toured the CCI/Speer production facility in Lewiston, Idaho. While touring the plant, 22Plinkster was allowed to capture video showing the creation of .22 LR rounds from start to finish. This is a fascinating video, well worth watching.

This revealing video shows all phases of .22 LR ammo production including cupping, drawing, annealing, washing, drying, head-stamping, priming, powder charging, bullet seating, crimping, waxing, inspection, and final packaging. If you’ve got ten minutes to spare, we really recommend you watch the video from start to finish. You’ll definitely learn some new things about rimfire ammo.

The text in this article is Copyright 2023 by AccurateShooter.com. No text shall be republished on any other site without authorization and payment of license fees.

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December 3rd, 2022

Never Do This! Miculek Explains How to Avoid Damaging Guns

Jerry Miculek gun video handling safety error garand sks AR15 revolver

Jerry Miculek is the best action revolver shooter who has ever lived. Miculek is also a true master with rifle and shotgun. This guy shoots hundreds of thousands of rounds every year in all types of firearms. Through that process, he has discovered common mistakes many shooters make. Those mistakes can harm the guns, or threaten the safety of the operator. Here Jerry offers some vital gun handling and safety advice in his “Never Do This” video series.

Jerry Miculek has won multiple revolvers championships, and has set amazing records for revolver speed shooting (with reloads). Yes Jerry, “Mr. Revolver”, knows a thing or two about wheelguns. In this video, Jerry explains how you can damage your revolver by using the wrong methods to open and close the cylinder and extract ammo. Jerry shows what NOT to do, and then he very carefully explains the proper procedure to release the cylinder, and swing it out of the frame. In addition, Jerry shows how best to swing a loaded cyclinder back into place. If you own a revolver, ANY revolver, you should definitely watch this video.

In this second video, Jerry explains common mistakes people make when handling and shooting three classic, semi-auto firearm types — the M1 Garand, the SKS carbine, and the M1911 pistol. Jerry shows handling faults that can cause out-of-battery detonation or early primer strikes, or cause jams in the Garand and SKS. Then Jerry explains why you should never release the slide on a M1911 pistol with a round already in the chamber. This is a must-watch video for Garand owners.

Here Jerry demonstrates of the most common jams that can happen with AR-platform rifles. Miculek reveals the cause of the issue and then shows how to prevent it. Jerry notes: “This is one of those malfunctions that you won’t see coming! I’ve seen it … on the range and it can be devastating to your time in a match. All ammo used in the video were dummy rounds and intentionally loaded for training without powder or primers.”

Jerry Miculek gun video handling safety error garand sks AR15 revolver

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October 23rd, 2022

You Only Have One Set of Eyes — Protect Them

Sherri Gallagher
Sherri Jo Gallagher, the second woman in history to win the NRA High Power National Championship, sports Eye Protection at Camp Perry. The first lady High Power Champion was Sherri’s mother, Nancy Tompkins.

In response to a Bulletin article about Protective Eyewear, one of our Canadian readers posted a personal story. His account demonstrates the importance of wearing eye protection whenever you shoot — no matter what type of firearm you are using — even air rifles. We hope all our readers take this to heart. All too often at rifle matches we see shooters, even some top competitors, risking their vision by failing to wear eye protection.

Eye and Hearing Protection are now MANDATORY for Highpower Rifle competitors and Pistol shooters in all CMP-affiliated matches. The 2020 CMP Highpower Rifle, Pistol, and CMP Games Rulebooks all contain the following rule: “All competitors and competition officials are required to wear appropriate eye and hearing protection when on shooting range firing lines during highpower rifle or pistol firing. All competitors must comply with this requirement before they can participate in a CMP sponsored or sanctioned competition. Competitors are responsible for selecting their eyewear and hearing protection.”

2020 CMP Civilian Marksmanship program rules Highpower High Power mandatory eye protection

Red Ryder BB Gun safetyEye Protection — Lesson Learned
by Nicholas from Canada
As a boy on a mixed farm on the plains the first shooting stick I owned was a Red Ryder BB gun. My Dad bought it for me as I showed a keen interest in the shooting and hunting sports. I was about 9 years old at the time.

We had literally thousands of sparrows in our large farm yard and they liked to roost on the steel railings in the barn loft. I took to slowly thinning out their ranks by flashlight at night as these little winged pests settled in the farm buildings.

One evening as I slayed sparrow after sparrow in the barn loft — with about a dozen farm cats following me to consume these easy meals, I fired at another bird centered in my flashlight beam.

However, my aim was a bit low — and the copper pellet hit the steel beam square on. Instantly I felt a sharp pain as the BB bounced back and hit me squarely between the eyes on the bridge of my nose – drawing blood from the partial penetration into the skin. A half inch either way and I’d have lost an eye!

Never, never, never shoot at any target with a steel background with any firearm, even a BB gun – is the hard lesson I learned, and wear the best shooting glasses that money can buy!

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT!!

Editor’s Comment: Among competitive pistol shooters, the use of safety eyewear is universal. You’ll never see Rob Leatham, Julie Golob, or Jerry Miculek competing without eye protection — for good reason. The handgun sports’ governing bodies effectively enforce mandatory eye protection policies. We wish the same could be said for competitive rifle shooting. We often see benchrest, High Power, and F-Class competitors shooting without eye protection. We’ve heard all the excuses, yet none of them trump the safety considerations involved.

We recommend that all shooters and hunters employ eye protection whenever they use firearms or are at a location where live fire is taking place. You only have two eyes. A tiny bullet fragment or ricochet is all it takes to cause permanent blindness in one or both eyes. As rifle shooters, we place our eyes a couple inches away from a combustion chamber operating at pressures up to 70,000 psi. I know quite a few guys who will religiously put on safety glasses when running a lathe or a drill press, yet the same guys won’t use eye protection when shooting their rifles — simply because it is “inconvenient”. That’s nuts. It doesn’t matter is you are a cub scout or a multi-time National Champion — you should wear eye protection.

I will give you a personal example. A year ago I was shooting a 9mm pistol. One of the cartridges had a primer burst outward blowing small particles, some brass, and a piece of the pistol’s extractor right back into my eyes. Thankfully I was wearing good wrap-around safety glasses. No injuries at all. But without those safety glasses, this could have been very serious. I always wear safety glasses with ALL firearms. Shown below is the same kind of primer blow-out I experienced, but with a .270 Win rifle cartridge.

primer blow-out safety glasse

Be wise — protect your eyes. To learn more about eyewear safety standards, and to learn about the latest options in ANSI Z87-certified protective eyewear, read our article on Eye Protection for Shooters.

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May 13th, 2022

Inaugural SIG Freedom Days Event Draws Over 4000 Participants

Ben Avery Sig Sauer Freedom days shooting event

SIG Freedom Days — one of the biggest shooting events in America — was a huge success last weekend. Over 4000 firearms fans attended the first-ever SIG Freedom Days fun shoot/gear demo at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona.

Ben Avery Sig Sauer Freedom days shooting event

Over the weekend of May 6-8, 2022, 4000+ guests participated in the inaugural SIG Freedom Days — a unique, consumer-focused shooting experience. Attendees had the opportunity to shoot a wide variety of SIG Sauer firearms including the new SPECTRE series guns, the P320/P320-M17/P320-M18, the EDC P365 series, and the MCX rifle in multiple configurations. Participants also enjoyed an exclusive first look at the soon-to-be-released CROSS PRS and P320 X10. Additionally, many attendees were able to shoot the SIG SAUER Next Generation Squad Weapons: the MCX-SPEAR (XM5) and the SIG-LMG (XM250).

The event included live daily demonstrations from Team SIG’s pro shooters: Max Michel, Dan Horner, Lena Miculek, and Jerry Miculek. There were also machine gun demonstrations, K9 demonstrations and more. But the big attraction was being able to shoot a variety of SIG Sauer firearms. The $75/day fee included ammunition for pistols, rifles, and shotguns.

SIG FREEDOM DAYS Participants Were Able to:

— Shoot nearly 50 new and existing SIG SAUER firearms
— Learn from world-class SIG SAUER Academy Instructors
— Shoot Mossberg Shotguns and Xpedition Archery Crossbows
— Shoot the SIG SAUER “Next Generation” Machine Gun (additional fee)
— See stage presentations by pro shooters, industry leaders, and personalities
— Watch live demos by Team SIG pros Max Michel, Dan Horner, Lena Miculek, and Jerry Miculek.

Ben Avery Sig Sauer Freedom days shooting event

“As a company we challenged ourselves to… bring our brand right to the consumer outside of the typical tradeshow and retail environment and offer enthusiasts, second amendment advocates, [and] SIG lovers an authentic hands-on total SIG experience. SIG Freedom Days connected the consumer with the product in a first-of-its-kind range event…”, stated Tom Taylor, SIG SAUER Chief Marketing Officer & Executive VP, Commercial Sales.

SIG Freedom Days major sponsors included USCCA,, Mossberg Shotguns, XPEDITION Archery, 5.11 Tactical, Guns.com, Fieldcraft Survival, and Black Rifle Coffee Company. Additional sponsors included Arizona Fish & Game, Hogue Knives, Silencer Shop, Tactacam, and Timney Triggers. Non-profit partners included the Best Defense Foundation and the Firearms Policy Coalition.

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