At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.
1. Sportsman’s Warehouse — Great Hunt Sale, Save up to 50%
⏺ Save on hunting rifles, ammo, camo, packs, optics and more
Right now Sportsman’s Warehouse is running its annual Great Hunt Sale with major savings on a huge selection of products for hunters. You can save on rifles, optics, rangefinders, tripods, hunting clothing, backpacks, muffs, and quality ammo. If you need a good hunting rifle, check out the Weatherby Vanguard for $499.99, a $50 savings off the regular price. The Vanguard has a nice 2-stage trigger and is backed by Weatherby’s 3-shot 1 MOA accuracy guarantee. Choose among many popular chamberings including: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm-08, 7mm Rem Mag, .308 Win, .300 Win Mag, and .30-06 Springfield.
2. EuroOptic — Fall 2024 Hunting Season Sale (Optics, Rifles)
⏺ Major savings on quality scopes, binocs, rangefinders, and accessories
EuroOptic.com is running a major Fall Hunting Products Sale. Among the many super deals are a 3-12x56mm Vortex illuminated reticle scope for just $239.99 ($180 off plus add’l 12% off with code VTX12), and a SIG Sauer combo package with 3-10x42mm scope and KILO2800 Laser Rangefinder. Get both items for just $399.99, a $250 savings. Along with these deals, many Leupold scopes and binoculars are deeply discounted, and some Swarovski optics products are as much as $500 off. Along with the optics deals, Tikka and Bergara rifles are on sale.
3. CDNN Sports — Winchester .22 LR Wildcat, $199.99
⏺ Fun rimfire rifle complete with optic — good owner reviews
Here’s a fun semi-auto .22 LR rifle at a crazy low price — $199.99 complete with a mounted Red Dot Reflex optic. That’s a steal for a reliable rimfire rig for plinking and NRL22 matches. The Winchester Wildcat takes Ruger 10/22 mags, and has some great features, such as field-removable lower receiver, ambidextrous controls, integral Picatinny rail, and rear barrel access. It has a good trigger and shoots well. In many respects the Wildcat beats the Ruger 10/22 while costing a lot less. If you don’t need the optic, you can get a basic Wildcat for $189.99 with Strata camo stock.
⏺ Good quality primers with Zero Hazmat and FREE Shipping
Right now Midsouth is offering FREE Shipping and FREE Hazmat with the purchase of Ginex primers. With this deal you can save up to $60 on your next primer purchase. These GINEX primers are sold in 5000-ct lots starting at just $349.99 for Small Rifle Primers and Small Pistol Primers. That’s just $0.07 per primer. And yes Large Rifle Primers are in stock at $499.99 for 5000, i.e. ten cents each.
5. CDNN Sports — Walther P22 Target, $248.98
⏺ Very good .22 LR Target/Training pistol with major discount
We think all shooters should have a quality .22 LR rimfire pistol with a good trigger, ergonomic grip, and excellent accuracy. With the Walther P22 Target Model, you can get all those things for just $248.98 at CDNN Sports, a great deal. The P22 Target pistol is a very nice rimfire handgun with a 5″ barrel plus a forward ported compensator. The ergonomic grip has interchangeable backstraps to better fit all size hands.
6. Palmetto SA, Blackhawk Shooting Mat/Rifle Case, $49.99
⏺ Multi-Function Shooting Mat/Rifle Case now $100 Off
Here’s a great deal on a multi-function Mat/carry case. The Blackhawk Stalker Drag Mat Carry Case functions as a nice padded shooting mat, AND it serves as a rifle carry case and drag bag. Length is 50.5″ and width (in rifle case mode) is 9″. This mat/case is made from durable 1000 denier nylon and closed-cell foam. It has carry straps plus a shoulder strap.
7. Precision Reloading — Big Savings on Redding Products
⏺ Discounts on dies, tools, and all Redding products
Need dies, reloading tools, or a precision press? Then head over to Precision Reloading which is running a major Redding Sale right now. You’ll 10% or More on Redding reloading dies and equipment, with some items discounted up to 42%. NOTE: This sale ends Friday, October 11th, so act quickly.
8. Scheels — RCBS Universal Priming Tool, $64.99
⏺ Recommended tool that adapts to multiple case rim sizes
The RCBS Universal Hand Primer tool can handle both large rim and small rim cases without any parts change. Leverage is good and the primer feeding tray is very reliable. This is a recommended tool for both beginning handloaders and expert-level reloaders. Another good feature of this tool is a patented safety gate that isolates the primer seating operation from the primer supply, lowering risk of tray detonation.
How many times have you grabbed your electronic earmuffs only to find the batteries are dead. To avoid the hassles (and cost) of battery replacement, consider Walker’s Rechargeable Razor Ear Muffs (#ad). These rechargeable muffs have an estimated 80 hours of run time. That’s enough to get through several DAYS at the range. Then you can recharge the muffs conveniently at home or in your vehicle. To hear range commands clearly, the muffs have HD speakers. Plus there’s a handy audio jack. These muffs are comfortable and boast a 21 dB Noise Reduction Rating (NRR).
10. Palmetto State Armory — AR15 Lower Receiver, $49.99
⏺ Amazing Deal on quality AR lower receiver
With the election just a month away, and Biden/Harris slamming through anti-gun executive orders, you want to get that AR15 build started while you still can. If you need an AR lower, here’s a great deal. Palmetto State Armory (PSA) now has stripped AR15 lowers for just $49.99. With this lower as the core, you can build up your AR for any discipline you choose: 3-Gun rifle, service rifle competition, varmint rifle, or even “race gun” for the PRS Gas Gun Series. These PSA lowers are forged using 7075-T6 Aluminum and have a durable, mil-spec anodized hardcoat finish.
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SEB Rests has come out with a new, more compact front joystick rest for rimfire and air rifle competition. Designed for benchrest rimfire and air rifle shooting, the new AR250 Rest takes its name from the perfect score of 250 in WRABF competition. Balancing mobility, performance, and cost, this rest features a rigid, extendable central post and two elevation adjustment systems for rapid and smooth height changes. Current price is $620 US dollars, a bargain compared to some other joystick rests.
The new AR250 provides a very stable shooting platform yet is still easily transportable. The versatile design makes it suitable for multiple rimfire and air rifle disciplines. The AR250 joystick travel is designed to be able to cover most target sizes from WRABF to NRA/ARA at 25-100 yards and 25-100 meters. Fitted with an adjustable counterweight system for smooth joystick action, the newly designed top plate secures the custom front bag firmly in place with minimal play. The AR250 rest is offered with three bag options: one 2 1⁄4″-wide bag, one 3″-wide bag, or both sizes.
SEB AR250 rest has very extensive height adjustment range to fit varying rifle styles and target heights.
Initial user reviews have been very positive. Here are comments from customers and testers:
— “I am delighted with the accuracy and smoothness of operation. Brilliant product.”
— “The rest is very compact and lightweight. I recommend for anyone who… has struggled shooting rimfire with oversize pedestals designed for centerfire benchrest.”
— “The joystick feels smooth and precise, and the counterweight makes aiming feel wonderful.”
— “The rest is very solid for as small that it is, and the construction is wonderful.”
— “It transports far easier than any of the rests I have tried so far.”
Included in the box are: AR250 rest and front bag(s), Joystick arm and adjustable counterweight, leveling screws, 3 rest feet with hard neoprene rubber bottoms, spare bolts/accessories, and user manual.
For full product description and more product photos, visit AR250.sebrests.com.
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Hunting season is coming up very soon, so it’s time to get your rifle squared away. You’ll want to zero that rifle before the hunt, and you need to know how your shots will impact with a cold barrel.
Commonly, hunters won’t have the ability to fire one or two fouling shots before heading out on a hunt. Therefore it’s important that a hunter understands how his rifle shoots with a “cold bore shot”. Both the point of impact (and possibly velocity), may be different with a cold bore than with a barrel that has been warmed and fouled with a series of shots. In this video from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), you’ll learn how to determine your cold bore point of impact (POI) for a rifle that just been cleaned, as well as the cold bore POI with a barrel that has already been “fouled in”.
SGT Joe Hein of the USAMU shows how to plot cold bore POI with both a clean bore and a fouled bore. Note that the “cold bore” shot from a fouled barrel was closer to the follow-up shots than the cold bore shot from a clean barrel. This is typical of many factory barrels. SGT Hein provides a simple way to understand your rifle’s cold bore performance. Hein’s advice can keep you from missing that long range shot at that big buck on opening day. A little time spent on the range before that critical first shot will help ensure you have meat in the freezer this season.
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Today we feature a top-flight tactical .22 LR rig belonging to Jonathan Ocab. A talented Highpower marksman with the Distinguished Rifleman Badge, Jonathan also enjoys rimfire tactical disciplines which he features on his Youtube Channel. Jonathan has run a monthly NRL22 match in California. His interest in the NRL22 game started with a CZ 455, but soon he stepped up to the impressive rig you see here. This boasts all top-tier components: Vudoo V-22 mag-fed action, Bartlein barrel, MPA Chassis, and Kahles K525i scope. Jonathan carefully selected all this hardware and assembled the rifle himself.
My Vudoo/MPA Rifle for NRL22 and Long Range Rimfire Report by Jonathan Ocab,Ocabj.net.
I became interested in rimfire shooting due to not having as much access to longer distance ranges, and the emergence of NRL22 matches. Back in 2017 I had acquired a CZ 455 and ran it in NRL22 club matches. It worked well, but as I started spending most of my time on my club’s rimfire range, I focused on getting a Vudoo Gun Works V-22. The Vudoo V-22 appeared to offer a true repeater that had the feel of a full-sized centerfire rifle along with high accuracy/precision potential.
After a lot of research, I decided to put in an order for a barreled action and acquired a Vudoo Gun Works V-22 action with a 20″ Bartlein barrel, 1-16″ twist, and MTU contour, all in Flat Dark Earth Cerakote (along with a +30 MOA base). I then acquired the TriggerTech Diamond Trigger Pro Curved, Masterpiece Arms BA Comp chassis (in Flat Dark Earth), American Rifle Company M10 34mm rings (28mm height), and Kahles K525i 5-25x56mm SKMR3 LSW scope.
CZ as a Starter NRL22 Option — The CZ 450-series is a solid family of .22 LR rifles, but I wanted to see what existed beyond the CZ level of rimfire rifles. One of my complaints with the CZ 455 is that the trigger leaves much to be desired even with the trigger kits available. Since the Vudoo V-22 action has a Remington 700 footprint and can accept most Rem 700-compatible triggers, I can actually run a top-tier trigger that would exceed anything available for the CZ.
Component Selection for the Ultimate NRL22 Competition Rifle
My choices in components were biased due to my prior experience — I went with quality hardware I knew and trusted…
Barrel Choice — I chose the Bartlein barrel over Vudoo’s in-house Ace barrels because I run a Bartlein barrel on my 6mm Creedmoor rifle and I have become a big Bartlein fan. Secondly, I chose the Masterpiece Arms BA Competition chassis because I also run the MPA BA Comp on my 6mm Creedmoor rifle. You can see the two rifles side-by-side below:
You are not seeing double. There are two rifles, both with an MPA Comp BA chassis, and both weighing about 15 pounds. In front is the featured Vudoo-action .22 LR rimfire rig with 20″ barrel, while behind is Ocab’s ARC Mausingfield 6mm Creedmoor PRS/NRL centerfire rig with 24″ barrel.
After running this rifle build for over a year now, I can say that I am more than happy with this platform as I have it configured. Having a .22 LR rifle in the same chassis as my 6mm Creedmoor rifle makes me feel right at home behind either rimfire or centerfire platform. My Vudoo V-22 weighs 15.2 lbs with Atlas CAL bipod while my 6mm Creedmoor rifle build weighs right at 15.0 lbs with the same Atlas CAL bipod. The “feel” and handling of my Vudoo V-22 MPA is as close to a centerfire gun as you can get.
Scope and Rings — I chose the 5-25x56mm Kahles K525i SKMR3 LSW because I was interested in running the Kahles after handling a few K624i and K525i scopes and hearing about how great they tracked. I run ARC M10 rings on several rifles because I think they are superbly designed.
Trigger Choice — I chose the TriggerTech Diamond because I already have a TriggerTech on one of my centerfire platforms and I wanted to try their Diamond trigger on a gun.
Outstanding Accuracy with Multiple .22 LR Ammo Types — Lapua and SK
My .22 LR ammo of choice is Lapua Center-X. This is the most commonly-chosen ammunition among Vudoo V-22 shooters. I also had good results with SK Rifle Match and Lapua Midas+ in casual 50-yard and 100-yard testing but have stayed with Lapua Center-X because my rifle shot all the lots of Center-X I put into it equally well out to 200 yards.
SUMMARY — The Vudoo V-22 and MPA Package Is Outstanding
I can hands down recommend the Vudoo Gun Works V-22 for anyone who is interested in getting one. The “full-sized” rimfire rifle segment is not a one-horse race anymore and there are other options out there, but I feel very few will regret going with a Vudoo V-22 over another alternative. If you do not have a centerfire rifle designed for NRL/PRS style of shooting, you could probably just opt to go with a CZ 457 or Tikka T1x and have a lot of room to modify and tailor those rifles to your own tastes and still have an accurate rifle for NRL22. But if you also run a precision centerfire rifle, you should seriously consider a Vudoo V-22 or other 700-pattern rimfire action if purchasing a new .22 LR rimfire rig.
My Vudoo Gun Works V-22 build is an all-purpose gun for me. It is setup for NRL22-style matches but can be utilized for (extreme) long range .22 LR shooting (300 yards and beyond). For that rimfire ELR Game, I am seriously considering getting a Vudoo V-22S (single-shot) action to put in an F-Class stock to have a dedicated ELR .22 LR gun. While I built my Vudoo Gun Works V-22 with NRL22 in mind, I realized this gun could do more so I took it out to shoot 300 yards. After that, I stretched it out to 400 yards and then 500 yards in subsequent range visits. Now I am intrigued by extreme long range .22 LR shooting and often shoot 400 yards and beyond with the Vudoo V-22 when I can.
Long Range .22 LR Rimfire — Out to 500 Yards
Jonathan shoots his competition rifle in Long Range Rimfire matches with targets out to 500 yards. That’s definitely Extreme Long Range for the little .22 LR cartridge, requiring 27.8 MILs of up elevation! Jonathan notes: “I originally had a +30 MOA base on my rifle and it worked fine to 400 yards, but I ran out of adjustment on the K525i to get to 500 and had to hold over. I ended up getting a +40 MOA base.”
NRL22 Competition — Tactical Rimfire Matches
The NRL22 match format is a great shooting discipline. NRL22 offers a high fun factor at relatively low cost. You don’t have to reload match ammo. A couple of 50-round boxes of .22 LR ammo will get you through the match. While some people bring lots of gear to matches, that’s by choice and not by necessity. You can keep it simple and still be competitive (and win).
Tips for NRL22 Competitors
I am a match director at my gun club and run our local NRL22 matches. People often ask me for tips for competing in NRL22. First, I recommend getting the course of fire for the month in advance and practicing those stages at the range. Here are other specific tips that should help NRL22 competitors improve their gun-handling and match results.
1. Dry Fire Practice — If you are not able to do live fire practice at the range, I encourage shooters to practice their shooting positions at home via dry fire. Setup props or barricades with pasters or other faux targets on a wall in the garage or inside the house and run through each stage.
2. Scope Magnification Level — The most common issue I see with newer shooters in NRL22 is the tendency to maximize their scope magnification. The timer will start, and the shooter gets into position on a target, but the scope is set to 15x or higher and the shooter can’t find the target. The shooter lowers the magnification, locates the target, and then increases the magnification again, takes the shot, transitions to another target, and repeats the process of decreasing magnification, locating target, etc. Novice NRL22 shooters should try using the mid-range magnification. Try shooting 7x-12x and learn to balance field of view and target image.
The author at NRL22 Match at West End Gun Club in San Bernardino, CA.
3. Support Side Shooting — NRL22 matches often include support-side shooting stages. This requires you to shoot with your opposite (non-dominant) hand and eye. I often hear people complain about shooting support-side. My only real tip for this is to actually spend time at the range shooting this way. Practice makes perfect. It’s all a question of learning how to shoot again and using fundamentals. Learn to get a consistent cheek weld and consistent eye relief. If necessary, figure out if you need to set your scope’s diopter for your opposite eye and mark it on the scope.
4. Tripod Practice — Even though tripods are not used in the NRL22 courses of fire, I practice shooting off of a tripod often. I will often setup targets at various distances and spaced far apart to run drills firing shots on each target with the goal of speeding up transitions and target acquisitions. Target acquisition after transition from target to target is where time is lost, so it is good to become efficient in this area.
BONUS Video — Modern NRL22 Hardware, Optics, and Ammo
Released on October 5, 2024, this recent Pursuit of Accuracy channel video reviews some of the latest and greatest equipment options for NRL22 and Precision rimfire disciplines. The host covers action and stock options at 1:10 time mark. Then at the 4:00 minute mark, he explains popular scope options. At 7:02 in the video he explains how he selects and tests .22 LR ammunition (he favors ELEY). Finally, at 11:52 he explores barrel options while including suggestions on efficient barrel maintenance. This video includes excellent Shooter’s POV footage shot with a video camera mounted on the rifle.
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AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL: At 25 yards, this is a fun rimfire plinking target. At longer distances it can be a great training target for precision centerfire shooters.
NRL22 and PRS rimfire competition is hugely popular. And we’re seeing great interest in .22 LR rimfire tactical cross-training. With a rimfire rig, you can practice regularly for a fraction of the cost of centerfire shooting. That way you can build your skill set without breaking the bank. Decent rimfire ammo can be had for 10 to 20 cents a round. Compare that to $1.20 (or more) for centerfire handloads and as much as $2.00 per round for factory ammo such as Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor.
To help with rimfire cross-training, here are some of our favorite rimfire tactical targets, all in easy-to-print PDF format. Click each target image to download the FREE target. You’ll find more free targets for load development, precision practice, and fun shooting on our AccurateShooter FREE Targets Page.
Modern Rimfire Tactical Rifle with MPA BA Comp Chassis and Vudoo V-22 action.
Targets for Rimfire Training and Fun Matches
Here’s a rimfire training target with “big to small” target circles. Start with the largest circles, then move to the smaller ones in sequence. This systematic drill provides increasing challenge shot-by-shot. Novices often are quite surprised to see their accuracy improve as they move from bigger to smaller aiming points. That provides positive feedback — always a good thing.
Right Click and “Save as” to download printable PDF versions of target.
This Vortex Nation video features an 80-minute interview with Travis Ishida, one of the original founders of the NRL22 and NRL22-X disciplines. Travis told us that the NRL now runs 7-8 times as many rimfire matches as centerfire matches.
Rimfire Practice Targets
SPECIAL BONUS–Rimfire Tactical Precision Targets
These FREE targets by DesertFrog are offered in Adobe Acrobat format for easy printing. CLICK HERE to download all six targets as a .ZIP archive.
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One of our Forum members complained that he wasn’t able to set his primers flush to the rim. He tried a variety of primer tools, yet no matter what he used, the primers still didn’t seat deep enough. He measured his primers, and they were the right thickness, but it seemed like his primer pockets just weren’t deep enough. He was mystified as to the cause of the problem.
Well, our friend Boyd Allen diagnosed the problem. It was the decapping rod. If the rod is adjusted too low (screwed in too far), the base of the full-diameter rod shaft (just above the pin) will contact the inside of the case. That shaft is steel whereas your case is brass, a softer, weaker metal. So, when you run the case up into the die, the shaft can actually stretch the base of the primer pocket outward. Most presses have enough leverage to do this. If you bell the base of the primer pocket outwards, you’ve essentially ruined your case, and there is no way a primer can seat correctly.
The fix is simple. Just make sure to adjust the decapping rod so that the base of the rod shaft does NOT bottom out on the inside of the case. The pin only needs to extend through the flash hole far enough to knock the primer out. The photo shows a Lyman Universal decapping die. But the same thing can happen with any die that has a decapping rod, such as bushing neck-sizing dies, and full-length sizing dies.
Whenever you use a die with a decapping pin for the first time, OR when you move the die to a different press, make sure to check the decapping rod length. And it’s a good idea, with full-length sizing dies, to always re-check the height setting when changing presses.
There are a variety of decapping dies currently on the market, with models available from LEE, Lyman, Hornady, RCBS, Redding, and Sinclair Int’l.
LEE Universal Decapping Die Costs Just $11.49
Speaking of decapping tools, Midsouth Shooters Supply sells the LEE Universal Decapping Die for just $11.49 (item 006-90292), a very good deal. There are many situations when you may want to remove primers from fired brass as a separate operation (prior to case sizing). For example, if your rifle brass is dirty, you may want to de-cap before sizing. Or, if you load on a progressive press, things will run much more smoothly if you decap you brass first, in a separate operation.
Decapping Dies for Cases with Smaller Flashholes
TAKE NOTE: Some Euro Small Flash Holes are spec’d at 1.5mm or 0.059″, and max out at about .062″, so these need a smaller die pin.
The low-cost LEE Universal Decapping Die will work with cartridges from 17 Fireball all the way up to big Magnums. However, NOTE that the decapping pin supplied with this Lee die is TOO LARGE for LAPUA 220 Russian, 6mmBR, 6.5×47, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win (Palma) and Norma 6 PPC flash holes. Because the pin diameter is too large for these brass types, you must either turn down the pin, or decap with a different tool for cases with .059-.062″ flash-holes.
Sinclair Int’l offers a Stainless Decapping Die that comes with BOTH .080 and .060 Pins. The $46.99 die ships with three decapping pins for standard .080″ flash holes, and two pins for .060″ flash holes.
Redding makes a Universal Decapping Die with an optional smaller-diameter decapping rod for the smaller .059-.062″ flash holes found on the BR and PPC cases. The use of this die is explained in the video below:
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Erik Cortina is one of America’s top F-Class competitors. He has won major matches and is a member of Team Lapua-Brux-Borden. Erik, who produces his own line of EC Barrel Tuners and Tuner Brakes, also has a popular Believe the Target YouTube Channel which features interviews with top shooters, parts makers, and gunsmiths. For this Saturday Movie showcase, we feature videos created by Erik for his channel.
Interview with Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics
Bryan Litz, head honcho of Applied Ballistics LLC, is arguably the leading ballistics expert on planet earth. A talented shooter who has won major F-Class, ELR, and Palma matches, Bryan is a high-IQ scientist who has developed the ballistics software many of us now use in Kestrels and other devices to calculate scope clicks with extreme precision. In this interview, Bryan explains basic ballistics principles and also corrects some popular misconceptions. This is a great interview that has received much praise from viewers, one of whom has noted: “Bryan is a walking science lab. He puts out amazing data-based info[.]” With 87,000 views, this is Erik’s second-most popular video ever.
Interview with 6-Time Nat’l Long Range Champion John Whidden
CLICK HERE for full 81-minute interview with John Whidden.
John Whidden of Whidden Gunworks is one of the greatest American marksman in history. Shooting sling rifles, John has won the U.S. Long Range National Championship a remarkable six times. He has also won a Palma World Championship, and this summer John won the 2022 Smallbore Prone U.S. National Championship. While a humble individual, John has superb shooting skills and unrivaled mental toughness. In this interview, John talks about the challenges of competition and what motivates him to excel. John also talks about the products he has developed for Whidden Gunworks.
Interview with NBRSA 3-Gun and Tackdriver Champ Bart Sauter
Bullet-maker Bart Sauter is one of the world’s best benchrest shooters. He won the 2022 NBRSA 3-Gun National Championship this year, and he also has won the multi-class Tack Driver event two years in a row. Plus he has set small-group world record at 600 yards. In this very informative interview, Bart talks about bullets, equipment selection, match preparation, and shooting techniques. We think every benchrest shooter should watch this video.
Master at Work — Sauter in Action
If you want to see how a world-class bench shooter runs his rifle, check out this short video showing Bart Sauter in action. He runs five shots in about 9 seconds.
Interview with Tod Hendricks, 2021 F-Open National Champion
A member of Team Lapua/Brux/Borden, Tod Hendricks has been one of the most talented and consistent F-Open competitors for many years. He used his mental toughness and wind-reading skills to capture a National Championship in 2021. In this wide-ranging interview with his team-mate Erik Cortina, Tod reveals what it takes to win in F-Open these days, covering equipment, ammo quality, and match preparation.
Brux Barrels is a machine tool company located in Lodi, Wisconsin, specializing in premium, custom, cut-rifled barrels. Brux barrels have set some impressive benchrest records, and have won championships in multiple disciplines. In this video Erik Cortina interviews Ken Clemens of Brux. They discuss the production process at Brux, from the selection of top-quality steel blanks to the final hand-lapping procedures.
Interview with Lanny Bassham, Olympic Gold Medalist and Author
Erik Cortina recently interviewed noted author and Olympic Gold Medal-winning shooter Lanny Bassham. Erik asked Lanny about his book With Winning in Mind. Lanny discussed the “mental game” in the shooting sports and Lanny’s program for visualization of a winning performance. Lanny explains that after you have mastered your rifle skills, and learned to read the wind, it is important to adopt a winning mentality and to visualize success. Lanny should know. He won a shooting Gold Medal in the Olympics along with 22 world individual and team titles.
Interview with Lindsey Paul, Queen of 2 Miles
Lindsey Paul is the only women to win the King of Two Miles ELR competition, becoming the first-ever QUEEN of Two Miles, shooting a .375 CheyTac. In 2021, the talented lady Texan beat a field of top competitors, including past KO2M Champions, all guys. Lindsey had a truly outstanding performance, including 3 hits in 5 shots at the max distance, 2.0 miles (3520 yards). In this interview, Lindsey, who works in the law enforcement field, talks about the Extreme Long Range (ELR) game, and she also explains what it’s like to shoot the heavy-recoiling .375 CheyTac.
Interview with Frank Galli — Founder of Sniper’s Hide
The founder of the popular Sniper’s Hide Forum, Frank Galli is an online pioneer and living legend in the tactical shooting sports world. A former U.S. Marine Scout-Sniper, Frank (aka “Lowlight”) runs a very active Forum with over 180,000 members. Along with moderating his Forum, Frank runs training clinics and hosts regular podcasts. Frank is also the author of the book Precision Rifle Marksmanship: The Fundamentals, an excellent resource for PRS/NRL competitors as well as tactical marksmen.
BONUS Videos — Two Great Tech and Reloading Videos
How to Find Jam Point on your Barrel
Loading for F-Class
Erik Cortina produces his own line of EC Barrel Tuners and Tuner Brakes. These have been used successfully by many top shooters. View the full line of Cortina Precision products at: ShootSmallGroups.com.
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Hunting season is underway in many parts of the country. Before you head out to the hunting fields, you may want to practice your shooting on specialty paper targets designed expressly for hunters. Here is a selection of game targets which can help you achieve success this hunting season.
Realistic Game Targets with Marked Vital Zones
Serious hunters may prefer to practice with photo-realistic game targets with animal profiles that look like the real thing. Champion offers realistic “X-Ray” game animal targets. These X-Ray targets display the bone structure and heart/lung position of game animals. These are popular with hunters, as are Champion’s Critter Targets Set with 5 different realistic animals in a 10-pack. CLICK HERE to view X-Ray Animal Targets and Critter Targets.
Unfortunately this large ELK X-Ray target has been discontinued, but you may still find it in some stores. CLICK HERE to view large version.
Allen Company offers a 23″ x 35″ Realistic Whitetail Deer Target that shows the vital Hit Zone. The EZ Aim® Paper Shooting Target has two Hit Zone points, plus ten other larger diameter white circle aiming points that can be used for zeroing your rifle or practicing your accuracy. A target twin-pack is $7.99 at Amazon.com.
FREE Printable Game Targets from the NRA
To help you prepare for your fall hunts, NRABlog.com has created a set of color practice hunting targets. Each target features three red bullseyes, centered on the animals. You can print the targets in black and white, but they look best in color. Click on each image below to download a FREE printable PDF file.
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Sometimes you’ll get a barrel that doesn’t stabilize bullets the way you’d anticipate, based on the stated (or presumed) twist rate. A barrel might have 1:10″ stamped on the side but it is, in truth, a 1:10.5″ twist or even a 1:9.5″. Cut-rifled barrels, such as Kriegers and Bartleins, normally hold very true to the specified twist rate. With buttoned barrels, due to the nature of the rifling process, there’s a greater chance of a small variation in twist rate. And yes, factory barrels can be slightly out of spec as well.
After buying a new barrel, you should determine the true twist rate BEFORE you start load development. You don’t want to invest in a large supply of expensive bullets only to find that that won’t stabilize because your “8 twist” barrel is really a 1:8.5″. Sinclair International provides a simple procedure for determining the actual twist rate of your barrel.
Sinclair’s Simple Twist Rate Measurement Method
If are unsure of the twist rate of the barrel, you can measure it yourself in a couple of minutes. You need a good cleaning rod with a rotating handle and a jag with a fairly tight fitting patch. Utilize a rod guide if you are accessing the barrel through the breech or a muzzle guide if you are going to come in from the muzzle end. Make sure the rod rotates freely in the handle under load. Start the patch into the barrel for a few inches and then stop. Put a piece of tape at the back of the rod by the handle (like a flag) or mark the rod in some way. Measure how much of the rod is still protruding from the rod guide. You can either measure from the rod guide or muzzle guide back to the flag or to a spot on the handle.
Next, continue to push the rod in until the mark or tape flag has made one complete revolution. Then re-measure the amount of rod that is left sticking out of the barrel. Use the same reference marks as you did on the first measurement. Next, subtract this measurement from the first measurement. This number is the twist rate. For example, if the rod has 24 inches remaining at the start and 16 inches remain after making one revolution, you have 8 inches of travel, thus a 1:8″-twist barrel.
Determining Barrel Twist Rate Empirically
Twist rate is defined as the distance in inches of barrel that the rifling takes to make one complete revolution. An example would be a 1:10″ twist rate. A 1:10″ barrel has rifling that makes one complete revolution in 10 inches of barrel length. Rifle manufacturers usually publish twist rates for their standard rifle offerings and custom barrels are always ordered by caliber, contour, and twist rate. If you are having a custom barrel chambered you can ask the gunsmith to mark the barrel with the twist rate.
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The NRA has released a special-edition digital publication, What NRA Does for Women, celebrating NRA women members and spotlighting NRA programs for women. What NRA Does for Women highlights NRA programs and activities geared toward women: recreational and competitive shooting; hunting; Second Amendment advocacy; and today’s primary reason for firearm ownership by women—self-defense.
This eZine spotlights the roles played by women in the NRA’s 153-year history, featuring ladies who helped shape the NRA into the most influential gun rights organization in the world. The eZine highlights champion women shooters and prominent lady gun journalists and commentators.
Women are now the fastest-growing demographic of gun owners. And women were well-represented within the NRA even in its earliest days. While it would still be nearly 50 years after the NRA came into existence before full women’s suffrage in the U.S. was realized, women have always been essential in transforming the nation’s oldest civil rights organization into the world’s most influential gun-rights group.
Created by the women editors of NRA Media, What NRA Does for Women spotlights some of the major milestones and accomplishments of the pioneering women who forged the path for today’s lady gun owners. This special edition eZine also includes reviews of recommended firearms for ladies.
While the NRAWomen.com website regularly features news and information for women gun owners, this new digital eZine highlights the NRA’s many programs and activities geared toward women. There are stories on hunting, competition shooting, and training for self-defense.
Many guys getting started in long range shooting are confused about what kind of scope they should buy — specifically whether it should have MIL-based clicks or MOA-based clicks. Before you can make that decision, you need to understand the terminology. This article, with a video by Bryan Litz, explains MILS and MOA so you can choose the right type of scope for your intended application.
You probably know that MOA stands for “Minute of Angle” (or more precisely “minute of arc”), but could you define the terms “Milrad” or “MIL”? In a helpful video, Bryan Litz of Applied Ballitics explains MOA and MILs (short for “milliradians”). Bryan defines those terms and explains how they are used. One MOA is an angular measurement (1/60th of one degree) that subtends 1.047″ at 100 yards. One MIL (i.e. one milliradian) subtends 1/10th meter at 100 meters; that means that 0.1 Mil is one centimeter (1 cm) at 100 meters. Is one angular measurement system better than another? Not necessarily… Bryan explains that Mildot scopes may be handy for ranging, but scopes with MOA-based clicks work just fine for precision work at known distances. Also because one MOA is almost exactly one inch at 100 yards, the MOA system is convenient for expressing a rifle’s accuracy. By common parlance, a “half-MOA” rifle can shoot groups that are 1/2-inch (or smaller) at 100 yards.
What is a “Minute” of Angle?
When talking about angular degrees, a “minute” is simply 1/60th. So a “Minute of Angle” is simply 1/60th of one degree of a central angle, measured either up and down (for elevation) or side to side (for windage). At 100 yards, 1 MOA equals 1.047″ on the target. This is often rounded to one inch for simplicity. Say, for example, you click up 1 MOA (four clicks on a 1/4-MOA scope). That is roughly 1 inch at 100 yards, or roughly 4 inches at 400 yards, since the target area measured by an MOA subtension increases with the distance.
MIL vs. MOA for Target Ranging
MIL or MOA — which angular measuring system is better for target ranging (and hold-offs)? In a recent article on his PrecisionRifleBlog.com website, Cal Zant tackles that question. Analyzing the pros and cons of each, Zant concludes that both systems work well, provided you have compatible click values on your scope. Zant does note that a 1/4 MOA division is “slightly more precise” than 1/10th mil, but that’s really not a big deal: “Technically, 1/4 MOA clicks provide a little finer adjustments than 1/10 MIL. This difference is very slight… it only equates to 0.1″ difference in adjustments at 100 yards or 1″ at 1,000 yards[.]” Zant adds that, in practical terms, both 1/4-MOA clicks and 1/10th-MIL clicks work well in the field: “Most shooters agree that 1/4 MOA or 1/10 MIL are both right around that sweet spot.”
Last Saturday, 9/28/24, was National Hunting and Fishing Day. Working on your wind reading skills can improve your odds of a successful hunt. Image from NHFDay.org.
Thomas Haugland, a Shooters’ Forum member from Norway, is a long-range target shooter and hunter. He has created an interesting video showing how to gauge wind velocities by watching trees, grass, and other natural vegetation. The video commentary is in English, but the units of wind speed (and distance) are metric. Haugland explains: “This is not a full tutorial, but rather a short heads-up to make you draw the lines between the dots yourself”. Here are some conversions that will help when watching the video:
.5 m/s = 1.1 mph | 1 m/s = 2.2 mph | 2 m/s = 4.5 mph
3 m/s = 6.7 mph | 4 m/s = 8.9 mph | 5 m/s =11.2 mph
How to Gauge Wind Speed and Hold Off Using Reticles
This field video shows how to observe natural indicators — trees and vegetation — to estimate wind velocity. Then it shows how to calculate hold-offs using the reticle hash-marks. Thomas shoots a fast-cycling Blaser R93 rifle with Norma 6XC ammunition.
Sometimes you’ll get a barrel that doesn’t stabilize bullets the way you’d anticipate, based on the stated (or presumed) twist rate. A barrel might have 1:10″ stamped on the side but it is, in truth, a 1:10.5″ twist or even a 1:9.5″. Cut-rifled barrels, such as Kriegers and Bartleins, normally hold very true to the specified twist rate. With buttoned barrels, due to the nature of the rifling process, there’s a greater chance of a small variation in twist rate. And yes, factory barrels can be slightly out of spec as well.
