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December 5th, 2018
New Products for 2019 in Shooting Industry Magazine
Shooting Industry Magazine just released its December 2018 issue, which you can read for free online. This December issue includes a SHOT Show Preview, but more importantly, there is also a 24-page New Product Showcase. Here you can see a variety of new products, including those from some of our favorite manufacturers: McMillan (MC3), Leupold, Warne, Vault Pro, Champion and more…
There are dozens of other NEW PRODUCTS HERE »
November 30th, 2018
How McMillan Companies Sponsor Competitive Shooting
The shooting world is lucky to have McMillan Fiberglass Stocks and MC3. Some companies talk about supporting competitive shooting. Maybe they bankroll a couple “rock stars” at pistol matches. But REAL commitment involves a LOT more. The kind of support that McMillan USA has shown to top shooters and top teams is truly exceptional. You won’t find a company that is more committed to supporting serious rifle competition than McMillan. The bossman, Kelly McMillan, loves the sport and is a capable marksman and hunter himself. McMillan has been a strong ally of AccurateShooter.com for many years. But more importantly, McMillan supports shooters and teams in many disciplines and McMillan donates prizes (and cash) in dozens of competitions.
McMillan is a company that really supports both individual shooters and talented teams of competitors. Here is the story behind McMillan’s commitment to our sport and our Champion shooters (and rising stars). Why We Support Competitive Shooting — McMillan’s Commitmentby Kelly McMillan Kelly and the Talented Xit Strategy Ladies Team: It has always been obvious to us that if we want this business to prosper for generations to come, we need to do everything we can to get young shooters and women shooters involved in the shooting sports. I personally have been sponsoring youth shooting sports, e.g. The Scholastic Clay Targets program, Boy Scouts, NRA U-25 USA team and many individual shooters. I also sponsor a Texas junior girls F-Class team as well as many individual youth and female shooters. Team Xit Strategy is an F-TR team comprised of both adult and junior female shooters. It is the only exclusively female team in the National F-Class circuit. The team includes Laura Perry 2017 (World Champion 8-person Team member), Jen Bondurant, a top level F-TR competitor, as well as Claudette Joe, one of the top juniors in F-Class currently.
Dollars and Sense — How McMillan Supports the Shooting SportsBelow is a list of the matches, teams, and shooters that McMillan has supported over the last year. Kelly notes that McMillan Fiberglass Stocks has donated $63,000 while McCubed (Mc3) has donated $6700 in gift certificates and products to various matches and conservation efforts. Kelly adds: “We have also contributed over $15,000 cash to various events. In addition, we have contributed $30,000 in cash to Team Sponsorships as well as 60 stocks of assorted types for team members.” Take note those numbers are for just ONE YEAR — yes, all that support in product and cash for just one year’s worth of sponsorship.
McMillan Also Sponsors Team Savage
Kelly McMillan is also an avid hunter. Here’s Kelly with Derek Rodgers (front) and Paul Phillips (top), two of his sponsored competitors. Derek is the reigning F-TR World Champion and previous King of Two Miles.
March 30th, 2018
Check Out the Legendary .009″ Group By Mac McMillan
Mac’s .009″ group was the “Holy Grail” of rifle accuracy. This .009″ record was considered by many to be unbreakable, a record that would “stand for all time”. Well, it took 40 years, but someone finally broke Mac’s record with an even smaller group. In 2013, Mike Stinnett shot a .0077″ five-shot group using a 30 Stewart, a .30 caliber wildcat based on the 6.5 Grendel. Stinnett’s .0077″ group now stands as the smallest 100-yard group ever shot in registered benchrest competition.* Stinnett’s success doesn’t diminish the significance of Mac McMillan’s .009″ group in the history of benchrest competition. For four decades Mac’s group stood as the ultimate standard of rifle accuracy*. For those of you who have never seen Mac McMillan’s .009″ group, here it is, along with the NBRSA World Record certificate. The target now hangs in the McMillan Family Museum.
*Somebody else might claim a smaller group, but unless moving backers or electronic targets were used, it cannot be verified. Moving target backers are used at registered benchrest matches to ensure that five (5) shots are actually fired in each group. That eliminates any doubt.
February 9th, 2018
Berger Southwest Nationals 2018 — Report from Ben Avery
Today, Friday, marks the third day of competition at the Berger Southwest Nationals (SWN), with individual matches on the schedule. Today’s match will have a Palma format, with shooters competing individually at three yardages: 800, 900, and 1000. This is when it really gets tough — no wind coaches. Each shooter is on his or her own. Yesterday, Thursday, was a Team Day at Ben Avery, with four-person teams shooting at 800, 900, and 1000. We saw some familiar squads on the firing line, such as Team Berger Bullets, The X-Men, and Da Bulls, as well as new squads. Individual Long-Range Competition starts today, Friday, at the Berger Southwest Nationals. The firing line is full — this match “sold out” early. Photo by Sherri Jo Gallagher. Click Image to see full-screen Panorama of 1000-yard firing line at Ben Avery. Full interim results for Thursday’s Team match are posted on the McMillan Fiberglass Stocks Facebook Page. Thursday’s conditions were much calmer than the Wednesday (when winds were howling in the afternoon). It was very calm in the early morning but then the wind increased gradually during the day, becoming switchy. Many shooters told us the mirage was difficult to read. The sling division was tightly fought, with Scottish HPS Team and U.S. National Mrnak Team tied on points at 1779 at day’s end. The Scots finished first by X-count, 92 to 85. Finishing third was U.S.A. National Hayes Team, 1776-114X.
In F-Open, the “Old Gentlemen” of Team Berger lead the way on Thursday, with a score of 1784-92X, followed by Team Lapua/Brux/Borden in second with 1782-101X. Tied on points in third place, but with fewer Xs, was Team Defiance at 1782-82X. This was a bit of a family affair as Scott Harris coached wife Christine and son Adrian, along with shooters John Moreali and Ben Steinsholdt. Larry Bartholome had top individual score, not dropping a point to finish “clean” at 450-21X. Next best was AccurateShooter’s own Jay Christopherson, with 449-31X.
In F-TR, Team “Da Bulls” topped the field with 1762-66X, barely edging second-place Team McMillan which scored 1762-64X. The McMillan team was a powerhouse including current F-TR World Champion Derek Rodgers, and, as coach, former USA F-TR Team Captain Ray Gross.
One team featured a Father-Daughter Duo, with father Scott coaching Morgan, his talented daughter. Morgan tells us that competitive shooting has unlocked a new world for her. She has traveled to South Africa with her father to shoot in international matches. Shooting at the SWN is a highlight of her year: “I love the warm weather here — It’s snowing back home in New York”. SWN VIDEO: Father coaches daughter in Thursday’s Team Match:
View from the pits at the Mid Tompkins Range at Ben Avery. Photo by Sherri Jo Gallagher. Kelly McMillan showed us a new F-Open competition stock, the Kestros with “Z-Rail”. This features a box-section aluminum extension on the fore-end. This allows a longer “wheelbase” on the stock, as well as a lower center of gravity. Kelly says his company is working may adapting this extension to include an bipod attachment rail. That way you could shoot the same stock in both F-TR and F-Open divisions.  SWN VIDEO: Kelly McMillan talks about new McMillan and MCubed (M3) stocks in this video. Kelly plans to host his Taking Stock Radio Show on Friday, February 9, live from the Berger SWN. CLICK HERE for Kelly McMillan’s SWN Radio Show. Listen to Kelly McMillan’s Taking Stock Radio Show from Berger Southwest Nationals Rekindle Old Friendships and Meet New Friends But we’d say the number one reason most folks make the pilgrimage to Ben Avery every year is the camaraderie — the chance to connect with friends, rekindling connections that may go back decades. Fundamentally, then, the Berger SWN is about the people. For many of us, this is the only time of the year when we get a chance to meet fellow shooters from distant corners of the USA (and other nations).
June 6th, 2017
Adjustable Stock Rudders for Long-Range Benchrest Stocks
Gunsmith/stockmaker Alex Wheeler is a very smart guy. Among his many clever innovations is an adjustable bag-rider that fits on the underside of the buttstock at the rear. Alex calls this a “Rudder” because it allows the shooter to align the tracking perfectly. The rudder assembly can swing left and right using an adjustment bolt. You can also adjust the Rudder’s vertical “angle of attack” with simple shims. Some guys like the Rudder’s 3/4″-wide bottom perfectly parallel with the bore axis. Others prefer a slight angle so the stock slides down a bit during recoil.  Adjustable Rudders Now For Sale Watch how the Wheeler Rudder works in this video. Alex explains: “If you pull your rifle back in the bags and the cross-hair moves, your stock is not straight. The easiest fix is to use an adjustable Rudder. They come standard on all my stocks. The white box on the 1000-yard target is 4″. With a properly-adjusted rudder it’s easy to obtain less than 1″ of cross-hair movement at 1000 yards.” Rudder-Equipped Stock In Action (with 1000-Yard Champ Tom Mousel) It’s relatively easy to install these rudders on most wood and wood laminate stocks. Alex says: “Just notch the stock, and install the anchors for the adjustment bolts.” In addition, McMillan will soon be offering fiberglass stocks with a notch designed to fit the Wheeler rudder. Based on Alex’s Deep Creek Tracker stock design, these new McMillan stocks with have metals rails in the front also.
December 20th, 2016
New Kestros F-Class Open Stock from McMillan
F-Class has become one of the fastest-growing types of mid-range and long-range rifle competition. Because of that popularity, a market for specialty equipment has been created, including stocks. McMillan Fiberglass Stocks offers a variety of stocks for both F-TR and F-Open disciplines. Shown above and below is the new Kestros*, McMillan’s upgraded, second-generation F-Open stock. This is an impressive offering, with good stiffness, a torque-taming low-profile design, and good adjustability for the shooter. Our friend Boyd Allen had the chance to test drive a Kestros recently.
McMillan Kestros “First Look” Range Review by Boyd Allen Because F-Open Shooters typically shoot long, heavy bullets through fast-twist barrels, torque control is an issue, which is why the base of the front section of the fore-end is close to the barrel. This low-profile design counters torque. By maximizing the angle defined by the bottom corners of the stock and the bore’s centerline, this stock geometry increases resistance to roll.
As tested, this Kestros stock features a nice three-way adjustable butt, as well as an adjustable cheek piece. Symmetrical palm swells and the symmetrical cheek piece make the stock truly ambidextrous. We believe that the cheekpiece locking knob can be switched to either side, adapting to both lefties and righties.
* The original Kestros (aka “Kestrosphendone” or “Cestrus”) was an ancient Greek military weapon, a type of sling used to hurl heavy, arrow-like finned projectiles.
August 27th, 2016
New Kestro F-Open Stock from McMillan
McMillan Fiberglass Stocks is introducing a new F-Class Open Division stock. This offers a low profile fore-end and parallel geometry for improved tracking. This is similar to McMillan’s previous F-Open stock, but with important enhancements. Here is Kelly McMillan’s report: “Our new Kestro is … made specifically for F-Class Open competition. Notice we have kept the low profile fore-end while increasing the mass and rigidity. The fore-end is not only ‘dead nuts’ in line with the butt stock, but it is also on an exactly parallel plane so when it recoils there is no rise or lateral shift in the cross hairs.
This model comes with an integral adjustable cheek-piece and can have our standard buttplate or our lightweight 3-way adjustable butt plate. My estimation is that this stock will weigh as light as 4.5 pounds fully dressed, or as much as 8 pounds depending on what you need.
We are currently working on the cheek-piece free model for those of you who don’t put your face on the stock. One more thing, this color combination we call a Tiger Stripe Maple.” Editor’s NOTE: Though “maple” is in the stock color name, this is a reinforced fiberglass stock, not wood.
July 18th, 2016
Derek Rodgers Sets Pending 1000-Yard F-TR Record
Derek Rodgers, the only shooter to win both the F-Open and F-TR National Championships, has done it again. While shooting the Santa Fe Trail LR Regional match in Raton, New Mexico, it looks like Derek set a new 1000-yard record. Derek nailed his 1000-yard target, recording a 200-14X score — that’s twenty (20) shots for record, all tens with 14 in the X-Ring. Derek told us: “Yesterday at Raton New Mexico’s Whittington Center, I shot a 200-14X, which should be a new pending F-TR National Record at 1000 yards.” Derek took special pride in this accomplishment, as he held the F-TR record before: “I’m happy to have the record back. I have had three of the last four records”. Well done Derek!
Derek Rodgers .308 Win F-TR Rifle Equipment List:
This impressive performance by Derek shows that the best F-TR rifles can rival the big F-Open rigs for pure accuracy, even though the favored F-Open chamberings, such as .284 Win and .300 WSM, are still ballistically superior to the venerable .308 Winchester used by nearly all F-TR competitors. For his record-breaking load, Derek used Berger 200gr Hybrid Target bullets in Lapua .308 Win (small primer pocket) brass, pushed by Hodgdon Varget powder.
April 11th, 2016
SHOT Show in Review — 2016 Product Highlights
The latest digital edition of Shooting Industry Magazine offers a run-down of hot products at SHOT Show 2016. In this FREE April edition, you’ll find a SHOT Show in Review article, a “Show Stoppers” guide to Buyers’ favorites, a list of products you may have missed, as well as a 2016 New Product Showcase. For anyone interested in new shooting products, you really should read this special April issue cover to cover. This year’s SHOT Show, held January 19-22 in Las Vegas had more than 1600 exhibitors, with a record number of new products on display. Show Stoppers from Las Vegas
New Product Showcase
April 9th, 2016
Tuning Your Sandbag Hardness — Tech Tip by Speedy
Over the years, noted gunsmith and a Benchrest Hall-of-Fame inductee Thomas ‘Speedy’ Gonzalez has learned a few things about “tuning” rear sandbags for best performance. On his Facebook page, Speedy recently discussed how sand bag fill levels (hard vs. soft) can affect accuracy. Speedy says you don’t want to have both your front and rear sandbags filled up ultra-hard. One or the other bag needs to have some “give” to provide a shock-absorbing function (and prevent stock jump). SAND BAGS & HOW TO FILL THEM by Speedy Gonzalez I was asked several times by competitors at the S.O.A. Matches and F-Class Nationals as to how I fill my sand bags for benchrest competition. Here is a copy of a reply I gave several years ago:
I looked up at him with eyes like a kid with his hands in a cookie jar. My reply must have sounded like Homer Simpson “Doooh”. Finally I said “I don’t know, Boss. I just thought you were supposed to fill these babies up and go shoot. I got that ‘You dumb bastard look’ from Pat and I knew it was lecture time. This was what he told me:
Charles Huckaba, Ken Terrell, Larry Baggett, Ralph Stewart and some of us Texas shooters talk about this phenomena quite often. We have all agreed that:
Speaking of bricks — another thing that happens when shooters employ that heavy zircon sand is the ears form a low spot under them from recoil and then tend to rock back and forth with the rifle causing many low shots to crop up. Edgewood makes an Edgewood/Speedy rear bag specially reinforced under the ears to eliminate this scenario. One last note –If you use the Cordura bags keep them sprayed with a good silicon spray or “Rain-Ex”. This keeps them from getting sticky. Hey guys, try that and see if it helps. — Speedy
April 2nd, 2016
New Camo Styles and Stock Designs from McMillan
McMillan Fiberglass Stocks has unveiled some interesting new Spring offerings. First, McMillan now offers some really cool “Transition” camouflage finishes for hunting and tactical stocks. These Transition Camo Paint Finishes are handsome, distinctive, and very effective in the field. In addition, McMillan is adding three new hunting and sporting stocks to its collection of fiberglass rifle stocks.
Transition Camo Series Paint Finish McMillan New-for-2016 Hunting and Sporting Stocks
Game Warden / Adjustable Game Warden
Game Hunter Game Scout X-Bolt
December 30th, 2015
Ultimate Precision: Mac McMillan’s Historic .009″ Group
Mac’s .009″ group was the “Holy Grail” of rifle accuracy. This .009″ record was considered by many to be unbreakable, a record that would “stand for all time”. Well, it took 40 years, but someone finally broke Mac’s record with an even smaller group. In 2013, Mike Stinnett shot a .0077″ five-shot group using a 30 Stewart, a .30 caliber wildcat based on the 6.5 Grendel. Stinnett’s .0077″ group now stands as the smallest 100-yard group ever shot in registered benchrest competition.* Stinnett’s success doesn’t diminish the significance of Mac McMillan’s .009″ group in the history of benchrest competition. For four decades Mac’s group stood as the ultimate standard of rifle accuracy*. For those of you who have never seen Mac McMillan’s .009″ group, here it is, along with the NBRSA World Record certificate. The target now hangs in the McMillan Family Museum.
*Somebody else might claim a smaller group, but unless moving backers or electronic targets were used, it cannot be verified. Moving target backers are used at registered benchrest matches to ensure that five (5) shots are actually fired in each group. That eliminates any doubt. 
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Copyright © 2024 Accurate Shooter
.009″ — The Record That Stood for 40 Years.
Back in the old days, about the time Fred Flintstone was still alive, I worked for Pat McMillan for free, from time to time to learn all his secrets. One day little Speedy was filling some new sand bags out behind Pat’s shop, stuffing them with more sand than Taco Bell put beans in their Burritos. When Pat stepped out the back door and inquired as to what in the hell was I doing packing them there bags the way I was. 
