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June 25th, 2026

Six Smart Tips for Success at Local Fun Shooting Matches

Varmint silhouette fun match

Try a club match this summer! Every summer weekend hundreds of local club “fun matches” are conducted around the country. And the first official day of summer — the Summer Solstice — is June 20, 2025, just 9 days away. That means local summer weekend fun matches will be held at ranges across the country. So load some ammo, get your rifle, and have some fun.

One of the good things about club shoots is that you don’t have to spend a fortune on equipment to have fun. But we’ve seen that many club shooters handicap themselves with a few common equipment oversights or lack of attention to detail while reloading. Here are SIX TIPS that can help you avoid these common mistakes, and build more accurate ammo for your club matches.

Benchrest rear bag1. Align Front Rest and Rear Bag
We see many shooters whose rear bag is angled left or right relative to the bore axis. This can happen when you rush your set-up. But even if you set the gun up carefully, the rear bag can twist due to recoil or the way your arm contacts the bag. After every shot, make sure your rear bag is aligned properly (this is especially important for bag squeezers who may actually pull the bag out of alignment as they squeeze).

Forum member ArtB adds: “To align my front rest and rear bag with the target, I use an old golf club shaft. I run it from my front rest stop through a line that crosses over my speed screw and into the slot between the two ears. I stand behind that set-up and make sure I see a straight line pointing at the target. I also have a piece of tape that I’ve placed on the golf shaft that indicates how far the back end of the rear bag should be placed from the front rest stop.”

2. Avoid Contact Interference
We see three common kinds of contact or mechanical interference that can really hurt accuracy. First, if your stock has front and/or rear sling swivels make sure these do NOT contact the front or rear bags at any point of the gun’s travel. When a sling swivel digs into the front bag that can cause a shot to pop high or low. To avoid this, reposition the rifle so the swivels don’t contact the bags or simply remove the swivels before your match. Second, watch out for the rear of the stock grip area. Make sure this is not resting on the bag as you fire and that it can’t come back to contact the bag during recoil. That lip or edge at the bottom of the grip can cause problems when it contacts the rear bag. Third, watch out for the stud or arm on the front rest that limits forward stock travel. With some rests this is high enough that it can actually contact the barrel. We encountered one shooter recently who was complaining about “vertical flyers” during his match. It turns out his barrel was actually hitting the front stop! With most front rests you can either lower the stop or twist the arm to the left or right so it won’t contact the barrel.

varmint fun match groundhog

3. Weigh Your Charges — Every One
This may sound obvious, but many folks still rely on a powder measure. Yes we know that most short-range BR shooters throw their charges without weighing, but if you’re going to pre-load for a club match there is no reason NOT to weigh your charges. You may be surprised at how inconsistent your powder measure actually is. One of our testers was recently throwing H4198 charges from a mechanical measure for his 30BR. Each charge was then weighed twice with a Denver Instrument lab scale. Our tester found that thrown charges varied by up to 0.7 grains! And that’s with a premium measure.

4. Measure Your Loaded Ammo — After Bullet Seating
Even if you’ve checked your brass and bullets prior to assembling your ammo, we recommend that you weigh your loaded rounds and measure them from base of case to bullet ogive using a comparator. If you find a round that is “way off” in weight or more than .005″ off your intended base to ogive length, set it aside and use that round for a fouler. (Note: if the weight is off by more than 6 or 7 grains you may want to disassemble the round and check your powder charge.) With premium, pre-sorted bullets, we’ve found that we can keep 95% of loaded rounds within a range of .002″, measuring from base (of case) to ogive. Now, with some lots of bullets, you just can’t keep things within .002″, but you should still measure each loaded match round to ensure you don’t have some cases that are way too short or way too long.

Scope Ring5. Check Your Fasteners
Before a match you need to double-check your scope rings or iron sight mounts to ensure everything is tight. Likewise, you should check the tension on the screws/bolts that hold the action in place. Even with a low-recoiling rimfire rifle, action screws or scope rings can come loose during normal shooting.

6. Make a Checklist and Pack the Night Before
Ever drive 50 miles to a match then discover you have the wrong ammo or that you forgot your bolt? Well, mistakes like that happen to the best of us. You can avoid these oversights (and reduce stress at matches) by making a checklist of all the stuff you need. Organize your firearms, range kit, ammo box, and shooting accessories the night before the match. And, like a good Boy Scout, “be prepared”. Bring a jacket and hat if it might be cold. If you have windflags, bring them (even if you’re not sure the rules allow them). Bring spare batteries, and it’s wise to bring a spare rifle and ammo for it. If you have just one gun, a simple mechanical breakdown (such as a broken firing pin) can ruin your whole weekend.

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June 25th, 2026

Yes Barrel Variances Do Affect Cartridge Speed — 6mmBR Factory Ammo Tested in 4 Barrels

barrel speed testing

Put the same load in a variety of barrels (with the same length and chamberings) and you’ll see a wide variance in muzzle velocity. In fact, it’s not unusual to see up to 100 fps difference from one barrel to the next. We demonstrated this with a comparison test of Lapua factory ammo.

Chron Testing Lapua Factory Ammo
At our Southern California test range some years ago, we chronographed Lapua 105gr 6mmBR factory ammo in three different 8-twist barrels of similar length. The results were fascinating. Lapua specs this ammo at 2790 fps, based on Lapua’s testing with its own 26″ test barrel. We observed a speed variance of 67 fps based on tests with three aftermarket barrels.

Barrel Velocity Variance
Brand ‘S’ and Brand ‘PN’ were pre-fit barrels shot on Savage actions. Brand ‘K’ was fitted to a custom action. All test barrels were throated for the 100-108 grain bullets, though there may have been some slight variances in barrel freebore. With a COAL of 2.330″, the rounds were “jumping” to the rifling in all barrels.

Among the four barrels, Brand ‘PN’ was the fastest at 2824 fps average — 67 fps faster than the slowest barrel. Roughly 10 fps can be attributed to the slightly longer length (27″ vs. 26″), but otherwise this particular barrel was simply faster than the rest. (Click Here for results of 6mmBR Barrel Length Velocity Test).

IMPORTANT: Results Are Barrel-Specific, Not Brand-Specific

These tests demonstrate that the exact same load can perform very differently in different barrels. We aren’t publishing the barrel-makers’ names, because it would be wrong to assume that ‘Brand X’ is always going to be faster than ‘Brand Y’ based on test results from a single barrel. In fact, velocities can vary up to 100 fps with two identical-spec barrels from the SAME manufacturer. That’s right, you can have two 8-twist, 26″ barrels, with the same land-groove configuration and contour, from the same manufacturer, and one can be much faster than another.

Don’t Demand More Than Your Barrel Can Deliver
We often hear guys lament, “I don’t get it… how can you guys get 2900 fps with your 6BRs and I can only get 2840?” The answer may simply be that the barrel is slower than average. If you have a slow barrel, you can try using more powder, but there is a good chance it may never run as fast as an inherently fast barrel. You shouldn’t knock yourself out (and over-stress your brass) trying to duplicate the velocities someone else may be getting. You need to work within the limits of your barrel.

Factory Ammo Provides a Benchmark
If you have a .223 Rem, 6mmBR, .243 Win, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5×55, .308 Win, .30-06 Springfield, or .338 LM Rifle, we recommend you buy a box of Lapua factory-loaded ammo. This stuff will shoot great (typically around half-MOA), and it can give you a baseline to determine how your barrel stacks up speedwise. [Editor’s NOTE: The original test was conducted in 2008. The velocity of current-production Lapua factory ammo might be higher or lower, so your results may vary.]

When you complete a new 6mmBR rifle, it’s definitely smart to get a box of Lapua factory ammo and chronograph it. That will immediately give you a good idea whether you have a slow, average, or fast barrel. Then you can set your velocity goals accordingly. For example, if the factory 105gr 6BR ammo runs about 2780-2790 fps in your gun, it has an average barrel. If it runs 2820+ in a 26″ barrel (or 2835 fps in a 28″), you’ve got a fast tube.

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June 25th, 2026

Clean Barrels More Efficiently with Solvent Wash Bottles

bore cleaning Wash Bottle

rifle bore cleaner bottleSmall patches are not very efficient at distributing bore cleaning liquids inside your bore. The problem with a tight-fitting patch is that the solvent gets squeezed off in the first few inches. You can switch to a smaller jag, or a bore mop, but there is an even better way to get an ample amount of solvent in your bore. Just spray directly into the bore with a wash bottle, an inexpensive plastic bottle with an L-shaped dispensing neck, tapered at the end.

When using the wash bottle, you can either just plug the breech and spray from the muzzle end (where most copper fouling is), or, alternately, put the wash bottle neck directly in the chamber and spray forward. When spraying from the chamber forward, you may need to use a rubber O-Ring to seal off the action… depending on the bore size and the particular wash bottle’s neck spout diameter. We prefer to plug the breech and squirt from the muzzle.

Bottle Solvent Application Method Works Great for Smaller Bores
Using wet patches or wet brushes is an inefficient way to really saturate the tight bores of 17s, 20s, and 22s. Even with a cotton bore mop, most of the solvent will be squeezed out before it gets to the end of the bore, where most copper fouling occurs. For these smaller 17, 20, and 22-caliber bores, you can just take the wash bottle and stick the tapered nozzle right in the chamber. The tapered end will press fit in the throat, sealing off the chamber. With the barrel slightly nose-down, give the bottle a couple good squirts until the solvent mists out the muzzle. In just a few seconds, this will put more solvent in the bore than a half-dozen wet patches.

amazon wash bottles barrel bore cleaning flush solvent

A solvent-filled wash bottle is also handy for wetting your brushes. It’s much easier to saturate a bore brush (without spilling solvent on your stock), by using the wash bottle. You can get wash bottles from USPlastic.com, Amazon.com, or lab supply stores. CLICK HERE to get a pair of wash bottles for just $5.99.


bore cleaning Wash Bottle

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June 24th, 2026

CMP 2026 Camp Perry Nat’l Matches — Schedules & Match INFO

Camp Perry cmp rimfire sporter 2023

The CMP 2026 National Matches will take place at Camp Perry from July 12 through August 8, 2026, with the First Shot Ceremony on Monday, July 13, 2026. Camp Perry is a National Guard facility located on the shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton. The shooting ranges have been modernized in recent years, with the installation of advanced electronic targets for many disciplines. SEE Full Camp Perry NM Calendar.

READ 2026 CMP National Matches INFO Flyer »

Camp Perry cmp rimfire sporter 2023

The National Matches will begin with Smallbore (rimfire) and Air Rifle events, followed by Air Pistol. The National Smallbore rifle series will utilize electronic targets, and the CMP Highpower Rifle Championships will now also be fired on electronic targets, with three 80-shot matches, followed by a 4-Man team event.

Camp Perry cmp rimfire sporter 2023

CLICK HERE for CMP Camp Perry National Matches INFO PAGE »

The National Matches are open to the public and have offered a wide range of events and matches since 1907. These matches are conducted by a partnership of the CMP and Ohio National Guard. Since their inception, the National Matches have become a huge, national shooting sports festival with well over 4,500 annual participants. The 2026 National Matches include the events listed below. Click on each discipline below for registration information, detailed match programs, and schedules.

Nat’l 3P Smallbore & Air Rifle Matches
Smallbore Prone Matches
Air Pistol Nationals
NM Air Gun Events
Simulator Match Steel Challenge
National Trophy Pistol Matches
GSSF CMP National Challenge
National Matches Clinics and Schools
National Trophy Rifle Matches and Highpower Rifle Championship
National Match CMP Games Events
Rimfire Sporter Match
National Mid- and Long Range Matches

CLICK HERE for 2026 National Trophy Rifle Registration Form »

SEE the full 2026 National Matches schedule and other event info on the CMP website.

Additionally, there will be multiple Garand/Springfield/Vintage/Modern Military (GSMM) Matches at the CMP Camp Perry National Matches this year. After the Rimfire Sporter match, the National Match Series concludes with Mid-Range (600-yard) and Long Range Matches.

Camp Perry summer 2018 CMP National Matches
The John C. Garand match is a Camp Perry classic. Note the signature Garand clip in the air.

Registration for the 2026 National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches is still OPEN. CLICK HERE to Sign up and review all the 2026 National Matches event info on the CMP website.

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June 24th, 2026

Insurance Options for Concealed Carry Pistol Permit Holders

CCW Law insurance

It is estimated that nearly 21.5 million Americans are currently licensed/permitted to carry concealed weapons. And with the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in NYSRPA v. Bruen, we can expect that number to increase significantly. That landmark case stated that the Second Amendment guarantees citizens the right to bear arms outside their homes.

According to the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC), in 2024 8.2% of American adults had permits. That means nearly 21.5 million Americans are licensed to carry a firearm in the United States. Outside of the restrictive states of California and New York, about 9.8% of adults have a permit. Four states currently have over one million active permit holders: Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Texas. And interestingly, about 47% of Americans (over 157.6 million people) reside in “Constitutional Carry” states that allow handgun carry without a specific license.

CCW Carry permits license

There are now seven (7) major business entities which provide insurance coverage and legal services for CCW holders. These providers are listed below. We suggest, BEFORE you commit to any particular policy/membership, you comparison shop at least three different options. We also recommend you read the full 3400-word GunDigest Article that examines, in detail, the coverage offered by these seven companies:

U.S. Law Shield concealed carry ccw insurance u.s. law shield
U.S. Concealed Carry Assoc. (USCCA) concealed carry ccw insurance u.s. law shield
CCW Safe concealed carry ccw insurance u.s. law shield
Right To Bear concealed carry ccw insurance u.s. law shield
Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network (ACLDN) concealed carry ccw insurance u.s. law shield
Second Call Defense concealed carry ccw insurance u.s. law shield
Firearms Legal Protection concealed carry ccw insurance u.s. law shield

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Gun Insurance Program:

Attorney Fees and Expert Fees
The key benefit of any CCW insurance plan is coverage for attorneys fees. If you need a lawyer for a civil case or criminal defense, the fees pile up very fast. Good lawyers can charge $400-$500 per hour, and a trial can go on for many days. GunDigest explains: “If your case goes to trial you might find a bill that runs up to six figures.” You should check to see if a policy covers lawyer retainer, hourly fees, expert fees, AND potential damages.

Bail Bond Coverage
If you are involved in an incident, and an arrest is made, you want to avoid spending time in a jail cell. That’s why it’s important to have a CCW insurance plan that will quickly provide funding for bail bonds. As GunDigest notes: “bail-bond coverage is typically part of a sound concealed carry insurance policy”.

Multi-State Coverage
Gun laws vary among states, and state insurance laws vary as well. This affects the coverage an insurance program can and will provide. When choosing a policy, ask questions to determine how coverage may vary from state to state. With some programs you can purchase additional coverage for trips outside your home state. These can be time-limited for cost savings.

Policy Limits (Dollar Amounts)
When considering a CCW insurance program you need to look at the policy limits — the amount the program might pay to provide legal assistance and potentially settle a claim. You need to read the fine print here, just as you would with an automobile or home policy.

The detailed GunDigest article on CCW Insurance Coverage, notes that there are some additional factors to consider when choosing CCW Insurance:

“You’ll find there are other areas covered by some concealed carry insurance plans worth contemplating. Many of them fall within the policies themselves, however, some cost extra. In many cases, CCW policies go well beyond legal expenses and cover some other aspects you might not have considered:”

Crime Scene Clean Up
Negligent Discharge
Spouse And Family Self-Defense
Property Damage
Firearms Replacement
Work Loss Coverage
Personal Use Of Firearm (non-defensive)
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June 23rd, 2026

Amazon Prime Day(s) Event — Huge Savings June 23-26

amazon prime day sale bargain  reloading tools

Amazon’s Prime Day sale event commences today with major savings for Amazon Prime members. In years past, “Prime Day” was a 24-hour sale. In 2026, there are major bargains over a 4-day span: June 23, 24, 25, and 26. There are thousands of great bargains — with savings up to 40% — on a vast selection of products. And Prime Day bargains include great deals on reloading tools, rifle accessories, optics, hunting gear, and gun maintenance supplies. Plus you can save on electronics, laptops, even car/truck parts.

Here are five special bargains we found today, on products we’ve used and can recommend. If you are an Amazon Prime member you should definitely do some shopping today — there are literally thousands of bargains, with many great deals for shooters, handloaders, and hunters.

Amazon — Caldwell Stable Table, $241.54, Save 27%

amazon prime day sale bargain 27% off shooting bench stable table

Amazon — Teslong Borescope with Monitor, $135.99, Save 20%

amazon prime day sale bargain 20% off teslong rigid rifle borescope 5

Amazon — Pelican 51″ Rifle Vault, $135.96, Save 20%

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Amazon — Halo Optics K2000 Rangefinder Binoculars, $254.14

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Amazon — Frankford Arsenal Universal Bullet Seating Kit, $59.98

amazon prime day sale bargain 20% off reloading tools bullet seating

BONUS: Eight More Prime Day Deals

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IMPORTANT — This is just a small sample of the thousands of significant bargains offered today for Amazon Prime Members. We recommend you head over to Amazon and check out the deals. You can save enough today to pay for a monthly Prime membership many times over.

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June 23rd, 2026

GRID Targets for Accuracy Testing and Load Development

sight=in target amazon EZ-AIM shoot-n-cee box to bench grid bullseye

AccurateShooter.com offers a dozens of free, printable targets in our Target Collection. However, we know that sometimes shooters may prefer a commercially-printed specialty target. These may offer unique designs, hi-viz colors, splatter effect, or special functions (such as scope checking). Here are a variety of excellent commercial grid targets you can buy via Amazon or the target-maker’s website.

EZ-AIM 12″x12″ Grid with Orange Bullseyes — $3.29 for 13-pack

sight=in target amazon EZ-AIM

We like this EZ-Aim Sight-in Grid Target for sighting-in, load development. and general practice. The full 12″x12″ target is covered with a precise black-lined grid on white background. There is a large center orange bullseye, plus four additional bulls, one in each corner. Right now this target is a bargain. You can get a 13-pack of targets for just $3.29 (#ad) on Amazon.

Freedom Targets — Bullseye Sight-In Grid Target, 25 for $13.89

freedom gun target bullseye bull grid target

Here’s a great Bullseye Sight-in Grid Target. This target provides a central bull on a 1″ grid pattern. There 8 additional small orange dot aim points, plus helpful numbers on the central vertical and horizontal lines. The outer four orange aim points are set inside heavier black lines to help align your scope crosshairs. This target is nicely printed, with sharp lines and bright orange circles. You get a pack of 25 targets for $13.89 — that’s $0.56 per target.

Birchwood Casey Grid — Black on White Splatter, 5 for $8.69

Sight-in 12

We’ve all seen conventional splatter targets with a black bullseye or grid. When a shot hits the target, a halo (usually neon yellow) appears around the bullet hole. Here is another kind of splatter target that creates a black circle on a white background. This can be very effective for spotting your hits at long range. Capture the same Shoot-N-C experience in white and black — the black “halo” can easily be seen at many distances. This Birchwood-Casey White Grid Target is $8.69 for a 5-pack. These Shoot-N-C Sight-In Targets have a self-adhesive backing, making for easy put up and take down. In addition, the target pack comes with corner pasters to cover holes or use as additional aim points.

High-Viz Option — Yellow on Black Grid with Yellow Halos

If you prefer seeing ultra-high-contrast yellow/green “halos” for your hits, Birchwood Casey also makes adhesive grid targets with five yellow-edged diamonds. Red circles provide precise aiming points in the middle of each box. You can quickly estimate group size or dial-in your zero using the hi-viz yellow 1″ grid lines. These yellow-on-black targets are available in three sizes: 8″ square, 12″ square, and 17.5″ square. These yellow-on-black grid targets start at $5.99 for an 8″ six-pack (#ad) on Amazon.

shoot-n-c sight-in-target white black halo

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June 22nd, 2026

BargainFinder 561: AccurateShooter’s Deals of the Week

AccurateShooter Deals of the Week Weekly Bargain Finder Sale Discount Savings

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.

Brownells — June Tools Sale & Father’s Day 10% OFF

Brownells june reloading tools sale
⏺️ » Great selection of reloading and shop tools at major discounts

This week Brownells is offering big discounts on a host of popular tools including priming tools, dies, case measurement tools, presses, scales, gauges, gun vises, and more. There are really some great deals right now. Plus, for a limited time, you can save 10% on nearly all Optics products in stock at Brownells with Discount CODE OPTICS10.

MidwayUSA — Hot Deals with Savings up to 75%

midwayusa father's day june 2026 sale
⏺️ » Great selection of tools, optics, accessories 25-75% Off MSRP

Shown above are six of the best bargains we found this week at MidwayUSA. But that’s just a tiny sample of the vast number of sale items. CLICK this LINK to visit the MidwayUSA SALE/Clearance page with 10,000+ items on sale: 515 items 50-75% off, 2698 items 25%-50% off, and 6982 items up to 25% off. There are some fantastic deals. Get major savings on optics, reloading tools, hearing protection, knives, targets and more.

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June 22nd, 2026

Beat the Heat — Keep Your Ammo Cool on Hot Summer Days

Heat Map USA color chart

Yesterday, June 21, 2026 was officially Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year (which interestingly coincided with Father’s Day). Many USA weather services are predicting above average temps this summer in many areas. And “peak heat” summer conditions have arrived already in some parts of the country (e.g. Phoenix was 106°F yesterday, 6/21/26). It’s vitally important to keep your ammo at “normal” temps during the hot summer months. Even if you use “temp-insensitive” powders, studies suggest that pressures can still rise dramatically when the entire cartridge gets hot, possibly because of primer heating.

It’s smart to keep your loaded ammo in an insulated storage unit, possibly with a sealed Blue Ice Cool Pak if you expect it to get quite hot. Don’t leave your ammo in the car or truck — temps can exceed 140° in a vehicle parked in the sun.

Ammo cool storage

Bosch Insulated tool caseThe way ambient temperatures, barrel heating, and powder warming can affect cartridge pressures (and hence velocities) was covered in a study Pressure Factors: How Temperature, Powder, and Primer Affect Pressure by Denton Bramwell. In that article, the author used a pressure trace instrument to analyze how temperature affects ammo performance. Bramwell’s tests yielded some fascinating results.

For example, barrel temperature was a key factor: “Both barrel temperature and powder temperature are important variables, and they are not the same variable. If you fail to take barrel temperature into account while doing pressure testing, your test results will be very significantly affected. The effect of barrel temperature is around 204 PSI per F° for the Varget load. If you’re not controlling barrel temperature, you about as well might not bother controlling powder temperature, either. In the cases investigated, barrel temperature is a much stronger variable than powder temperature.”

This Editor had the personal experience of 6mmBR hand-loaded ammo that was allowed to sit in the hot sun for 45 minutes while steel targets were reset. The brass became quite warm to the touch, meaning the casings were well over 120° on the outside. When I then shot this ammo, the bullets impacted well high at 600 yards (compared to earlier in the day). Using a Magnetospeed, I then chron-tested the sun-heated ammo. The hot ammo’s velocity FPS had increased very significantly — all because I had left the ammo out in the hot sun uncovered for 3/4 of an hour.

LESSON: Keep your ammo cool! Keep loaded ammo in the shade, preferably under cover or in an insulated container. You can use a SEALED cool pack inside the container, but we do NOT recommend just bags of H2O ice. And don’t have the container do double duty for food and beverages.

Powder Heat Sensitivity Comparison Test

Our friend Cal Zant of the Precision Rifle Blog has published a fascinating comparison test of four powders: Hodgdon H4350, Hodgdon Varget, IMR 4451, and IMR 4166. The first two are Hodgdon Extreme powders, while the latter two are part of IMR’s Enduron line of propellants.


CLICK HERE to VIEW FULL POWDER TEST RESULTS »

The testers measured the velocity of the powders over a wide temperature range, from 25° F to 140° F. Hodgdon H4350 proved to be the most temp stable of the four powders tested. [NOTE: New Alliant Reloder TS 15.5 has also proved very temp stable in AccurateShooter’s range tests.]

Precision Rifle Blog Temperature Stability test hodgdon varget H4350 Enduron IMR 4451

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June 22nd, 2026

Forming 30BR Cases — Best Methods Explained by Experts

30BR 30 BR case forming benchrest randy robinette al nyhus

30BR 30 BR case formingThe 30 BR is an amazing little cartridge. However, 30 BR shooters do have to neck-up 6mmBR or 7mmBR brass and then deal with some issues that can arise from the expansion process. One of our Forum members was concerned about the donut that can form at the new (expanded) neck-shoulder junction. Respected bullet-maker Randy Robinett offers tips on how to deal with the “dreaded donut”.

The Forum member was concerned about thinning the brass if he turned his 30 BR necks after expansion: “Everything I have found on 30 BR case-forming says to simply turn off the bulge at the base of the neck caused by the old 6BR shoulder. I expanded my first case and measured the neck at 0.329″ except on the donut, where it measures 0.335″. Looking inside the case… reveals a groove inside the case under the donut. Now, it is a fact that when I turn that neck and remove the donut, the groove is still going to be there on the inside? That means there is now a thin-spot ring at the base of the neck that is .005 thinner than the rest of the neck. Has anyone experienced a neck cracking on this ring?”

Randy Robinett, who runs BIB Bullet Co., is one of the “founding fathers” of the 30 BR who help prove and popularize the 30 BR for benchrest score shooting. Randy offers this advice on 30 BR case-forming:

While the thinner neck-base was one of our original concerns, unless one cuts too deeply INTO the shoulder, it is not a problem. For my original 30BR chamber, thirty (30) cases were used to fire 6,400 rounds through the barrel. The cases were never annealed, yet there were ZERO case failures, neck separations, or splits. The case-necks were turned for a loaded-round neck diameter of .328″, and, from the beginning, sized with a .324″ neck-bushing.

The best method for avoiding the ‘bulge’ is to fire-form prior to neck-turning (several methods are successfully employed). Cutting too deeply into the shoulder can result in case-neck separations. I have witnessed this, but, with several barrels and thousands to shots fired, have not [personally] experienced it. The last registered BR event fired using that original barrel produced a 500-27x score and a second-place finish. [That’s] not bad for 6K plus shots, at something over 200 firings per case.

Check Out the 30 BR Cartridge Guide on AccurateShooter.com
You’ll find more information on 30 BR Case-forming in our 30 BR Cartridge Guide. Here’s a short excerpt from that page — some tips provided by benchrest for score and HBR shooter Al Nyhus:

30 BR Case-Forming Procedure by Al Nyhus
The 30 BR cartridge is formed by necking-up 6mmBR or 7mmBR brass. You can do this in multiple stages or in one pass. You can use either an expander mandrel (like Joe Entrekin does), or a tapered button in a regular dies. Personally, I use a Redding tapered expander button, part number 16307. This expands the necks from 6mm to .30 cal in one pass. It works well as long as you lube the mandrel and the inside of the necks. I’ve also used the Sinclair expander body with a succession of larger mandrels, but this is a lot more work and the necks stay straighter with the Redding tapered button. This button can be used in any Redding die that has a large enough inside diameter to accept the BR case without any case-to-die contact.

Don’t be concerned about how straight the necks are before firing them the first time. When you whap them with around 50,000 psi, they will straighten out just fine! I recommend not seating the bullets into the lands for the first firing, provided there is an adequate light crush-fit of the case in the chamber. The Lapua cases will shorten from approx. 1.550″ to around 1.520″ after being necked up to 30-caliber I trim to 1.500″ with the (suggested) 1.520 length chambers. I don’t deburr the flash holes or uniform the primer pockets until after the first firing. I use a Ron Hoehn flash hole deburring tool that indexes on the primer pocket, not through

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