Rain-Soaked Week at the 2026 NRA F-Class National Championships at Ben Avery
A Week Shaped by WeatherReport by John Masek
I came away from the 2026 F-Class Nationals at Ben Avery in Phoenix, Arizona feeling that the weather had shaped the week as much as the competition. Held from October 25 through November 1, 2026, the championships brought together F-Open and F-TR shooters for Mid-Range and Long Range matches with nearly 300 competitors in attendance.
Difficult Calls, Safety First
The Mid-Range matches opened in beautiful conditions, with mild but challenging winds. By the long-range portion, however, the weather had deteriorated. Match directors had to balance keeping the championship on schedule with the risks of flash flooding and lightning, while following Ben Avery’s inclement-weather safety rules. Another consideration not apparent to most of the shooters was the condition of the pits where excessive rain created flooded pools and treacherous-to-drive water-soaked sand. That made access for the staff and competitors very difficult. As the week progressed, worsening weather forced changes to the match schedule and challenged shooters to adapt and stay flexible.
Here is a modern F-Open rifle, similar to the rifles used by top F-Open competitors.
From my perspective, the Match Directors made the best decisions they could with the conditions in front of them, putting shooter safety first — even when those decisions were unpopular. That is never an easy balance at a National Championship, where delays disrupt a tightly planned program and affect competitors who have traveled a long way to take part. Despite the challenges, match officials were able to ensure that all scheduled shooting for the week took place minus just one long range match. The is a very good result all things considered.
Standout Performances
Despite the difficult week, the winning scores were impressive:
▶ Long Range F-TR Champion: Keith Trapp, 1383-62X
▶ Long Range F-Open Champion: John Girgis, 1400-87X
Long Range F-TR Winning Team: Team Vortex 1578-71X
Long Range F-Open Winning Team: Bayou Chingones 1594-97X
2026 F-Class Nationals Long Range F-Open Champion John R. Girgis. John won with a score of 1400-87X, with every shot scoring ten points, not dropping a single point! His 87 X-count was also very impressive.
Notably, Long Range F-Open Champion John Girgis scored 1400-87X — a perfect score. That is truly remarkable given the conditions. I don’t believe we’ve seen that before in the Long Range match and it is pretty remarkable. John also finished second in the 600-yard Mid-Range match, just two points behind the winner. His results stood out in a championship that demanded both precision and adaptability in a sea of potential winning performances.
2026 F-Class Nationals Long Range F-Open Champion Keith Trap. Keith, a past champion, won the F-TR division with a strong consistent performance. Keith also was the coach for Team Vortex, winner of the Long-Range F-TR team competition.
The fierce competition, unpredictable weather, and remarkable scores made this one of the most memorable national matches I’ve ever attended and leaves me already excited to attend next year.
Along with the clouds and moisture, there were some challenging wind conditions at times during the 2026 matches but nothing overly crazy. There were some moderate to strong winds this year, but the winds were generally consistent and not that unpredictable. Here is a video taken at Ben Avery at the 2022 NRA F-Class National Championships. In this video, shooters fight through extremely strong 18-30 mph winds at 600 yards. In these kind of extreme conditions, a major unexpected gust can send your bullet off-target.
F-TR rifle from previous competition at Ben Avery range. F-TR (F-Class Target Rifle) rules allow bipods and rear sandbags. The total weight limit (with bipod and scope) is 18.18 pounds (8.25 kg). In NRA F-TR competition, rifles are strictly limited to two cartridge types: .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO and .223 Remington/5.56x45mm NATO.
Here’s a shot from Ben Avery when the sun is shining…
When shooting any match that requires moving back and forth between multiple target distances it is very handy to have your ballistics data, i.e. your “come-ups”, placed within easy view. That way you can instantly see your elevation for various target distances in seconds. This can really help a PRS/NRL competitor on timed stages. And having a convenient “Dope” display of elevation at various distances can also benefit varminters who are shooting critters. In our varmint hunters we targeted p-dogs from about 80 yards out to 500+.
PRC DOPE Roller QD Ballistic Data Turret
The PRC DOPE Roller QD Ballistic Data Turret provides a handy, low profile display of windage and elevation data. You can see your “dope” without breaking position from behind the rifle. Then simply rotate the knob to display data from various distances. The ballistic data is placed by wrapping a simple 1″ x 3″ adhesive address label around the outside surface of the DOPE Roller. This handy quick-detach roller retails for $64.95 from Precision Rifle Components.
MDT M-LOK Data Card Holder
The MDT M-LOK Data Card Holder has an adjustable neck allowing you to easily position your ballistics data for optimal viewing. Data entries are written on on a reusable card that attaches with Velcro. The Data Card Holder Kit comes with hardware to mount to any M-Lok rail. In addition the card holder fits directly to an MDT ACC chassis attachment point. This MDT kit includes: M-LOK Data Card Holder, Wet Erase Data Card, Wet Erase Marker, and installation hardware. NOTE: The Card Holder sticks out about 6.7″ when fully extended, but arm links can be removed to make the arm shorter. The unit folds flat for storage. This complete kit is $59.95 at Creedmoor Sports.
Warne Universal Data Card Holder
The Warne Universal Data Card Holder easily attaches to the scope tube, in left or right configurations, for a universal fit. Data is displayed in a convenient location to make quick and accurate target transitions, and the articulating arm allows for low profile storage while not in use. The Warne Universal Data Card Holder retails for $88.49 at Warnescopemounts.com. Three ring sizes are offered: 30mm, 34mm, 35mm. A 50-pack of Warne Data Card label refills is currently $16.99 from Warne.
Scope-Cover Mounted Ballistics Table
Another option is to place your ballistics card on the back of the front flip-up scope cover. This set-up is used by Forum member Greg C. (aka “Rem40X”).
With your ‘come-up’ table on the flip-up cover you can check your windage and elevation drops easily without having to move out of shooting position.
Greg tells us: “Placing my trajectory table on the front scope cover has worked well for me for a couple of years and thought I’d share. It’s in plain view and not under my armpit. And the table is far enough away that my aging eyes can read it easily. To apply, just use clear tape on the front objective cover.”
Cheap But Effective — Tape on the Stock with Ballistics Data
At the 2021 Nightforce ELR Steel Challenge, Applied Ballistics guru Bryan Litz wrote his come-ups on blue masking tape applied to his stock. He did this based on a tip from Chase Stroud. With the tape applied behind the action, the numbers are easily visible. This “cheap trick” does work apparently — Bryan won the match with a convincing victory over 220 other shooters. READ Match Report.
Cheap But NOT So Effective — Numbers on Hand
Many of us have scribbled some come-ups on the back of a hand or on our forearm using a marking pen. That can work if you only have a couple distances to deal with — say 100 and 300 yards. But if you want a more complete Come-up table, get one of the card-holders shown above. Writing numbers on the skin is generally not such a good idea….
It’s October, the fall season, and that means rainy, wet weather is on the way in many areas of the country. With rain comes increased moisture in the air, i.e. increased humidity. And that, in turn, can affect how your powders perform by altering their burn rates.
Most shooters realize that significant changes in temperature will alter how powders perform. That’s why you want to keep your loaded ammo out of the hot sun, and keep rounds out of a hot chamber until you’re ready to fire. But there are other factors to be considered — HUMIDITY for one. This article explains why and how humidity can affect powder burn rates and performance.
We’ve all heard the old adage: “Keep your powder dry”. Well, tests by Norma have demonstrated that even normal environmental differences in humidity can affect the way powders burn, at least over the long term. In the Norma Reloading Manual, Sven-Eric Johansson, head of ballistics at Nexplo/Bofors, presents a very important discussion of water vapor absorption by powder. Johansson demonstrates that the same powder will burn at different rates depending on water content.
Powders Leave the Factory with 0.5 to 1.0% Water Content
Johansson explains that, as manufactured, most powders contain 0.5 to 1% of water by weight. (The relative humidity is “equilibrated” at 40-50% during the manufacturing process to maintain this 0.5-1% moisture content). Importantly, Johansson notes that powder exposed to moist air for a long time will absorb water, causing it to burn at a slower rate. On the other hand, long-term storage in a very dry environment reduces powder moisture content, so the powder burns at a faster rate. In addition, Johansson found that single-base powders are MORE sensitive to relative humidity than are double-base powders (which contain nitroglycerine).
Tests Show Burn Rates Vary with Water Content
In his review of the Norma Manual, Fred Barker notes: “Johansson gives twelve (eye-opening) plots of the velocities and pressures obtained on firing several popular cartridges with dehydrated, normal and hydrated Norma powders (from #200 to MRP). He also gives results on loaded .30-06 and .38 Special cartridges stored for 663 to 683 days in relative humidities of 20% and 86%. So Johansson’s advice is to keep powders tightly capped in their factory containers, and to minimize their exposure to dry or humid air.”
Confirming Johansson’s findings that storage conditions can alter burn rates, Barker observes: “I have about 10 pounds of WWII 4831 powder that has been stored in dry (about 20% RH) Colorado air for more than 60 years. It now burns about like IMR 3031.”
What does this teach us? First, all powders start out with a small, but chemically important, amount of water content. Second, a powder’s water content can change over time, depending on where and how the powder is stored. Third, the water content of your powder DOES make a difference in how it burns, particularly for single-base powders. For example, over a period of time, a powder used (and then recapped) in the hot, dry Southwest will probably behave differently than the same powder used in the humid Southeast.
Reloaders are advised to keep these things in mind. If you want to maintain your powders’ “as manufactured” burn rate, it is wise to head Johannson’s recommendation to keep your powders tightly capped when you’re not actually dispensing charges and avoid exposing your powder to very dry or very humid conditions.
Real-World Example — “Dry” H4831sc Runs Hotter
Robert Whitley agrees that the burn rate of the powder varies with the humidity it absorbs. Robert writes: “I had an 8-lb. jug of H4831SC I kept in my detached garage (it can be humid there). 43.5-44.0 gr of this was superbly accurate with the 115 Bergers out of my 6mm Super X. I got tired of bringing it in and out of the garage to my house for reloading so I brought and kept the jug in my reloading room (a dehumidified room in my house) and after a few weeks I loaded up 43.5 gr, went to a match and it shot awful. I could not figure out what was going on until I put that load back over the chronograph and figured out it was going a good bit faster than before and the load was out of the “sweet spot” (42.5 – 43.0 gr was the max I could load and keep it accurate when it was stored in less humid air). I put the jug back in the garage for a few weeks and I now am back to loading 43.5 – 44.0 gr and it shoots great again. I have seen this with other powders too.”
If you have two jugs of the same powder, one kept in a room in your house and one somewhere else where it is drier or more humid, don’t expect the two jugs of the same lot of powder to chrono the same with the same charge weights unless and until they are both stored long enough in the same place to equalize again.
A good riflescope is essential for many types of competition, and the vast majority of hunters have scoped rifles. Some F-Class and benchrest competitors are now using optics with up to 60X magnification. Over the past 30 years, scopes have continued to evolve with improved glass, more reticle types, vastly increased elevation travel, bigger main tubes, FFP and SFP options, and even built-in electronics.
When shopping for a riflescope, it’s useful to understand how scopes work — how the internal mechanisms control windage and elevation, how parallax controls work, and how magnification levels are controlled. For today’s Saturday Showcase we feature seven videos that explain, in detail, how modern optics are constructed, and how scope components (body, lenses, controls, eyepiece etc.) function.
Scope Body Tube Engineering
The scope’s body tube is responsible for holding all riflescope components in place, and needs to be manufactured to very tight tolerances to ensure that everything lines up correctly. It is important that the body tube is crafted very uniformly and is weatherproof. Most scope tubes are aluminum for weight savings. The most common material is 6061-T6 aluminum. This offers a good balance of lightweight strength, corrosion resistance, and machinability. Schmidt & Bender and some other premium brands use 7075-T6 aluminum. This higher-grade alloy provides higher tensile and yield strength, making it more rugged under heavy recoil or harsh tactical use.
The Functions of the Many Lenses Inside a Riflescope
Riflescopes require multiple lenses, each performing a specific task. Most standard riflescopes contain at least six lens groups/elements, though complex or high-magnification tactical scopes can boast 10 to 18 individual lens elements. From front objective to rear eyepiece, a typical scope lens set includes:
• Objective Lens (Front): Gathers light (and image from the target) and forms the initial (upside-down and reversed) focal image.
• Focus / Parallax Lens: Adjusts position (often via a side-focus or adjustable objective turret) to bring the image and reticle onto the same focal plane.
• Erector Tube Lenses: Located inside the central erector assembly, these lenses flip the inverted image back to right-side up and handle zoom/magnification adjustments.
• Ocular Lens (Rear Eyepiece): Final lens closest to your eye that magnifies and focuses the finished image.
Scope Turrets — Features and Function
Turrets have come a long way over the years, but at their core, they are all responsible for the same thing — moving your erector tube to shift your point of aim via the reticle crosshairs. Elevation turrets can be set up to rotate a single time or multiple times, depending on the total elevation offered by the scope. Most scopes have perceptible clicks, which are typically set at 1/4 MOA, 1/8 MOA, or 1/10 milliradian (MIL). Recently some benchrest or extreme long-range (ELR) competition scopes have 0.05 MIL clicks.
Reticle Design, Properties, and Illumination
When choosing a scope, along with magnification, one of the most important things to consider is the reticle design — how the lines and circles appear, and whether it is a First Focal Plane (FFP) or Second Focal Plane (SFP) configuration. With a SFP scope, the lines/divisions in the reticle appear constant (unchanged) at ALL magnifications. With a FFP scope, the reticle lines/marks change in size as the scope magnification is increased or descreased. So when you zoom a FFP scope to higher magnification, the reticle will appear thicker, and importantly, the marked divisions will remain constant relative to the target.
FFP Design: A FFP reticle is placed in front of (before) the magnification erector assembly. As you increase or decrease the magnification, the reticle scales (grows or shrinks) right along with the target image. The subtensions (hash marks) remain accurate (in angular measurement) at all magnification level.
SFP Design: The SFP reticle is placed behind (after) the magnification erector assembly, near the eyepiece. As you zoom in or out, the target image changes size, but the reticle stays the same size. The hask mark subtensions (angular divisions) are only precise at one specific, manufacturer-calibrated magnification setting. This SFP design is commonly favored for benchrest and F-Class shooting at fixed distances.
Milrad vs. MOA — Key Differences
This video explains the functional differences between Milrad and MOA optics. One Milrad (milliradian or “MIL”) is about 3.3 inches height at 100 yards, so 0.1 MIL is roughly a third of an inch. One MOA is abou 1.047 inches at 100 yards, so one-quarter MOA is very close to a quarter inch at 100 yards. For benchrest, F-Class, and target shooting, MOA-based scope are most commonly used. For tactical and PRS/NRL applications, Milrad scopes are favored. Both reticle types are now popular for hunting applications. In precision shooting, the terms MIL, Milrad, MRAD, and milliradian are generally used interchangeably.
Understanding Parallax and How to Minimize Parallax Errors
The video first defines what is riflescope parallax. Then the video shows how to correct parallax and minimize it in the field. The video also explains why and how parallax errors can cause missed shots on target. After watching this video you should have a much better understanding of parallax, and how to minimize parallax issues.
How to Utilize the Diopter and Optimize the Setting
This video explains the function of a scope’s diopter control, explaining how the diopter works. The video then explains what you should be seeing through the scope and how to optimize the diopter setting quickly and efficiently. Starting at 1:40 time the video explains a 5-step process for setting the diopter properly.
0:00 – Your Reticle Is Blurry (Here’s Why)
0:15 – What the Diopter Actually Does
0:25 – Reticle vs Target Focus (Critical Difference)
0:40 – Why Most Shooters Get This Wrong
0:55 – What a Bad Diopter Setting Looks Like
1:12 – Quick Process for setting the diopter
1:40 – Step 1: Max Magnification
1:48 – Step 2: Use a Blank Background
2:05 – Step 3: The 1-Second Glance Trick
2:30 – Step 4: Adjust for Instant Sharpness
2:58 – Step 5: Repeat and Lock it in
3:09 – Diopter locking ring
3:30 – Tweaking for 1x performance
3:50 – Diopter marking trick
4:20 – Final Result is Faster + Clearer
Bonus READ: Nightforce Turret Tracking Tips
What Is Turret Tracking?
The term “turret tracking” refers to the precision with which a riflescope translates turret adjustments into actual point-of-impact changes. Even the smallest inconsistency in tracking can lead to missed shots, wasted ammunition, or lost opportunities in the field. Without accurate turret tracking, even a perfectly calculated firing solution won’t translate to hits on target.
Turret tracking is the relationship between what you dial on your scope’s elevation or windage turrets and how the bullet point of impact shifts downrange. This precise mechanical function is what allows shooters to make repeatable adjustments based on ballistic data. For example, if you dial 1 MRAD or 4 MOA, the bullet should land at the exact calculated offset. Any deviation means your turret isn’t tracking perfectly.
With hunting season well underway, we know that many readers will be out in the field — with a set of binoculars. On most game hunts, you’ll spend a lot more time glassing with binocs than looking through your riflescope. With wide field of view and extended low-light capability, a good set of binoculars will be your most important game-finder. And with premium LRF binoculars, such as the ZEISS Victory series, one tool serves both for spotting and laser ranging.
“Without the stabilization of your binoculars [provided by] a tripod … you will be missing a majority of the game you are glassing for.” — Outdoorsmans.com
In this article, Vortex Optics’ Mark Boardman, an experienced hunter, explains the benefits of using a tripod with high-magnification binoculars. Everybody knows that powerful spotting scopes work best when mounted to a stable tripod or otherwise secured to a steady mount. Yet when most folks use binoculars, they never even think of using a tripod, despite the fact that tripod adapters are available for many premium binoculars.
Outdoorsmans Tripod Adapters Outdoorsmans.com sells tripod adapters for various kinds of binoculars. These really work: “Mounting your binoculars to a quality tripod is a must for the serious western hunter. Without the stabilization of your binoculars [by] mounting them to a tripod … you will be missing a majority of the game you are glassing for.”
A serious hunter should learn how to glass with tripod support, using methods outlined here. With binoculars offering more that 8X magnification, you can really benefit from a steady mount. You’ll be amazed at the difference the tripod will make.
The U.S. Mid-Term elections were a “Blue Wave” with the Democratic Party taking control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The newly-elected Democrats want to make major changes in Federal gun laws and ATF firearms policies (though President Trump retains veto power). In addition, avowedly “anti-gun” Democrats earned more seats in many state legislatures. NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) Executive Director John Commerford issued the following statement in response to Tuesday’s Mid-Term election results:
“[The election] results put progressive majorities in control of Congress and additional state houses across the country, leaving the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans under direct and immediate threat. The NRA is ready to stand and fight in Congress, the courts, and in every state where those rights are at risk. This is not the time to sit idly by and lick our wounds—it’s the time to stand up, engage, organize, and join the fight to protect the Second Amendment. The only way we stop this radical gun-grabbing agenda is if gun owners get activated to defend their rights and work tirelessly to elect pro-gun politicians in 2028.”
From article inNRAILA.org
While the complete picture from the 2026 midterm elections is still emerging, the results, to say the least, were not what gun owners wanted. Anti-gun forces took control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. They will also wield trifecta control of state government in the former pro-gun stronghold of Arizona and even in Wisconsin. The governorships of Georgia and Texas, as well as their respective houses of representatives, may also be poised to flip into anti-gun hands.
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Virginia is a good example of what can be expected. Abigail Spanberger ran as a moderate, rarely pressing the issue of firearms. Once elected, however, she presided over the single largest binge of gun control the Old Dominion had ever seen. This included a ban on … the AR-15. It also included a law specifically designed to allow anti-gun activists to sue law-abiding gun industry members for the acts of unaffiliated third-party criminals. None of this was responsive to or necessitated by Virginia-specific problems. Rather it reflected a national agenda driven by a small handful of wealthy and elitist donors and interest groups.
So now, for the first time since 1988, Texas will send a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in the person of James Talarico, who openly backs a ban on AR-15s and similar semiautomatic rifles. Likewise, Michigan’s open senate seat went to Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat M.D. who suggested trading in the Second Amendment for a right to universal healthcare and who argued the right to keep and bear arms, if it protects any individual liberty, is limited to muskets.
Natchez has a page dedicated to current manufacturer rebates and special offers. With these deals you can save up to 25% on some products, as well as get free bonus products with a purchase. For example you can get a free suppressor with the purchase of a rifle, and/or you can get a free set of binoculars with the purchase of an optic. The Natchez Rebate Page has 23 money-saving offers. Here are our five (5) favorites.
You’ll find these five great discount/rebate programs below. These specials and rebates can save you big bucks on optics and ammo. Three of these rebates are good through December 31, 2026, while the two ammo rebates expire at the end of this month — November 30, 2026.
He who dies with the most toys wins — right? Well Sinclair has another interesting gadget you can add to your reloading bench. The Sinclair Case Neck Sorting Tool lets you quickly sort brass by neck-wall thickness. For those who shoot “no-turn” brass, this can improve neck-tension consistency. Large variances in neck-wall thickness can cause inconsistent neck “grip” on the bullet. Generally, we’ve found that more consistent neck tension will lower ES and (usually) improve accuracy. We know some guys who shoot no-turn 6mmBR brass in competition with considerable success — but their secret is pre-sorting their brass by neck-wall thickness. Cases that are out-of-spec are set aside for sighters (or are later skim-turned).
Watch Case Neck Sorting Tool Operation in Video
How the Case Neck Sorting Tool Works
Here’s how the Sinclair tool works. Cases are rotated under an indicator tip while they are supported on a case-neck pilot and a support pin through the flash hole. The unit has a nice, wide base and low profile so it is stable in use. The tool works for .22 through .45 caliber cases and can be used on .17- and .20-caliber cases with the optional carbide alignment rod. The MIC-4 pin fits both .060 (PPC size) and .080 (standard size) flash holes. Sinclair’s Case Neck Sorting Tool can be ordered with or without a dial indicator. The basic unit without dial indicator (item item 749006612) is priced at $59.99. With this standard tool you can use your own dial indicator with standard specifications. You can also buy the tool complete with dial indicator (item 749007129) for $89.99. IMPORTANT: This sorting tool requires caliber-specific Case Neck Pilots which must be ordered separately.
Editor’s Comment: The purpose of this Sinclair tool is rapid, high-quantity sorting of cartridge brass to ascertain significant case-neck-wall thickness variations. Consider this a rapid culling/sorting tool. If you are turning your necks, you will still need a quality ball micrometer tool to measure neck-wall thickness (to .0005) before and after neck-turning operations.
We are often asked “Can I get more velocity by switching primer types?” The answer is “maybe”. The important thing to know is that changing primer types can alter your load’s performance in many ways — velocity average, velocity variance (ES/SD), accuracy, and pressure. Because there are so many variables involved you can’t really predict whether one primer type is going to be better or worse than another. This will depend on your cartridge, your powder, your barrel, and even the mechanics of your firing pin system.
BE SAFE: Be cautious when changing primer types. Glen Zediker recommended decreasing your load ONE FULL GRAIN when changing to a different primer type, one that you haven’t used before.
Interestingly, however, a shooter on another forum did a test with his .308 Win semi-auto. Using Hodgdon Varget powder and Sierra 155gr MatchKing bullets, he found that Wolf Large Rifle primers gave slightly higher velocities than did CCI-BR2s. Interestingly, the amount of extra speed (provided by the Wolfs) increased as charge weight went up, though the middle value had the largest speed variance. The shooter observed: “The Wolf primers seemed to be obviously hotter and they had about the same or possibly better ES average.” See table:
Varget .308 load
45.5 grains
46.0 grains
46.5 grains
CCI BR2 Primers
2751 fps
2761 fps
2783 fps
Wolf LR Primers
2757 fps
2780 fps
2798 fps
Speed Delta
6 fps
19 fps
15 fps
You can’t extrapolate too much from the table above. This describes just one gun, one powder, and one bullet. Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV) as they say. However, this illustration does show that by substituting one component you may see significant changes. Provided it can be repeated in multiple chrono runs, an increase of 19 fps (with the 46.0 grain powder load) is meaningful. An extra 20 fps or so may yield a more optimal accuracy node or “sweet spot” that produces better groups. (Though faster is certainly NOT always better for accuracy — you have to test to find out.)
WARNING: When switching primers, you should exercise caution. More speed may be attractive, but you have to consider that the “speedier” primer choice may also produce more pressure. Therefore, you must carefully monitor pressure signs whenever changing ANY component in a load. In his books, the late Glen Zediker recommended decreasing your load ONE FULL GRAIN when changing to a different primer type, one that you haven’t used before.
Here is a simple, low-cost way to get reliable readings of case headspace when you “bump” the shoulder back on your 6BR, .243 Win, or .308 Win brass. Credit Boyd Allen for this tip. First, you’ll need one .45 ACP case (.40 SW works too), with primer removed. Make sure the pistol case is trimmed square and that it is round. We recommend you first size it, trim it and chamfer. Next, take the .45 ACP (or .40 SW) case and slip it over the neck of a fired, unsized rifle case with the primer removed. Align the two cases between the jaws of your calipers and note the length from rim to rim (See photo below, with striped case).
OK, now you have the length for a fired rifle case BEFORE sizing. Next, take a full-length sized rifle case (without primer) and do the same thing, placing the pistol case over the neck of the FL-sized case (Bottom Photo). The difference between the two numbers is the amount of “bump” or set-back you are applying to the shoulder. Here the difference is .0015″. The amount of bump you need varies with your chamber and your load, but .0015-.002″ is a good initial setting. By using this simple tool, you can avoid bumping the shoulder too much. This will also help you set-up the depth of your full-length die to get the proper amount of bump each time.
Other Pistol Brass Types Work Too: Some folks have used this method but they prefer to work with 10mm or .40 SW brass rather than a .45 ACP, because slightly smaller-diameter pistol cases may conform to the shoulders of their sized rifle cases a bit better. That works fine — use whatever pistol brass case works best for your rifle brass. We got very repeatable results with .45 ACP brass but the method also works with 10mm or .40 SW brass. Just be sure the pistol brass has been sized, trimmed, chamfered, and de-burred.
Scope-Cover Mounted Ballistics Table
Tests Show Burn Rates Vary with Water Content
Outdoorsmans Tripod Adapters
He who dies with the most toys wins — right? Well Sinclair has another interesting gadget you can add to your reloading bench. The Sinclair 
