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May 9th, 2007
ShootingUSA, the leading shooting sports TV show, will feature a 6-part training series on precision rifle shooting. The Precision Rifle “Pro Tips” series will offer six lessons, delivered in six episodes (one per broadcast). Part One, dedicated to Rifle Fit, debuts tonight, May 9th, on the Outdoor Channel (9pm Eastern time, 6pm Pacific time).
Future episodes will include: Scope Settings, Shooting Positions, Practice Drills, Wind and Mil Dots, and Shooting Moving Targets. The on-camera host for this series is Bill Davison, Master Rifle Instructor for the respected TAC PRO Shooting Center. Bill says his mission is “…in getting you to a point where you can use your weaponry to it’s full advantage, whether it be to shoot prairie dogs, hunt mountain goats, compete in rifle competition, or to serve in Iraq..” Highlights for all 6 Lessons (with text and photos) are available right now on the ShootingUSA.com website. Click this LINK, scroll to the bottom of the page, and hit the “GO” buttons to view text and photos for all six lessons.
Bill Davison:
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May 9th, 2007
An excellent article by Robert Whitley on the 6.5-284 Cartridge is now available on the Precision Shooting magazine Website. From the PS home page, click the image for April 2007 (Volume 54 No. 12). If you don’t have Javascript enabled, here is a Direct Link to Robert’s Article.
 Robert’s article covers chambering, bullet selection, load development, and the use of the 6.5-284 in competition. Robert explains how he has tested a variety of long-range cartridge, and he keeps coming back to the 6.5-284 because its combination of accuracy, velocity, and recoil is hard to beat: “In past years, I have had the opportunity to set up and shoot a variety of long range prone rifles. These rifles have predominantly been chambered in cartridges that were 6mm, 6.5mm and 7mm. The cartridges tried included a 6XC, a 243 Winchester, a 6.5 x 284, a straight 284 Winchester, a 7mm Remington SAUM, and more recently, a 7mm/300 WSM. While I still am partial to the 7mms, after shooting all these cartridges … I find myself liking the 6.5 x 284 more than ever. [T]he 6.5 x 284 provides a well balanced combination of all the key factors needed for long range work (accuracy, velocity and down-range bullet performance, all with moderate recoil).”
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May 8th, 2007
Forum Member D. Reever recently acquired a pair of Howard Leight ‘Impact’ noise-cancelling electronic ear muffs. He reports they offer great performance for the price: “I really like these. They take two AAA batteries that are easily accessed through a pop out panel. No struggling like on the Pelitor 6. Off the firing line, while others are shooting, you can easily carry on a conversation while the electronics cancel out the gunfire. Amplification is crisp and clear even at the highest setting. On the firing line, the slim profile of the muffs does not interfere with cheek weld and are comfortable. The 22-decibel rating is a bit low for my liking, but I have found using 29-dba plugs coupled with a slight gain in the electronics allows me to get maximum protection and still hear range commands. In fact, by increasing the volume further I could still hear conversations up and down the firing line. Comfort is definately a plus for all day sessions at the range and these muffs seemed better than average. Comparisons with owners of the Pelitor 6 were more than favorable with many Pelitor 6 owners prefering the Impact muffs over their own.”
Howard Leight Impact Muffs have earned rave reviews from Cabelas.com customers: “The Impact Sport is the third electronic muff I have owned and it is the best by far. It delivers a solid mix of protection, comfort and price. I’ve worn Howard Leight ear plugs & muffs at work for years. Now they have really blended that hearing protection expertise with features this shooter was looking for. I have already recommended the Impact Sport to several people.”–Will 1002
Cabelas.com sells the Muffs for $59.99, item IH-228573.
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May 8th, 2007
Jason Baney, our 1000-yard Editor, offers this report of the first 1000-yard match of the season at the Williamsport Club: “The weather for Williamsport Match 1 this past weekend was gorgeous, but mirage and wind remained to make it tough. From the very beginning mirage was horrendous! Even at 20x magnification it was hard to deal with, and at 42x it looked like we were shooting through water–the target danced around constantly. Wind was fairly light to start, but was increasing from the start. In the group shootoff on Saturday, shooting a borrowed 300WSM with 210 Bergers, I needed a solid 7 MOA to get in the middle of the target. Sunday was even worse with some of the worst results in the club’s 40 year history. Lots of people are already out of the Heavy Gun 10-Match Aggregate unfortunately.” For more info about the Williamsport Club, and for complete match results, log on to www.PA1000yard.com.
John Buhay won the Light Gun shoot-off with his 6mm Dasher. Shooting his 6BR, Jason had small group of the day at 5.851″ (for ten shots), and Diane Hoover had High Score at 97, shooting a 6.5-284. Below is Jason’s excellent target:
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May 7th, 2007
This weekend we met with Don Nielson, recent overall winner of the NBRSA 600-yard Nationals. Don shot most of that match with his new 6.5×47 Lapua, using 130gr JLK bullets from Swampworks. Don explained that both his 6.5×47 and 6-6.5×47 shot extremely well in initial tunnel testing, with the 6mm very slightly more accurate. Don asked us not to reveal the group sizes, but we can say this much–those groups (if shot outdoors) would be competitive in any short-range BR match. At the Nationals, Don started off with the 6mm, but after his 6.5×47 shot a 1 3/4″ group, he used that rifle for the balance of the Match. Don’s rifle features a Panda action, fluted Hart barrel (formerly chambered in 6.5-284), and a Kelbly 1M long-range BR stock.
Don told us load development came together very quickly. He knew (based on reports in this website and elsewhere) that RL15 would be a good choice, and he tried only one bullet–the new 130 JLK. Once he backed down his load to moderate levels, the 6.5×47 shot “well under quarter-MOA”. To our surprise, Don felt that shooting at 600 yards wasn’t that much different than shooting at 200 yards with his PPC: “You still have to read the wind right, and pull the trigger when you should.” Don did observe that shooting a 17-lb NBRSA Light Gun was more similar to shooting Cruiser Class in short-range BR, as opposed to his HV or LV 6 PPCs. Click HERE for a short video interview with Don.
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May 7th, 2007
 Remotely-mounted video monitors offer many benefits for precision shooters. With an outboard LCD monitor, one can shoot “heads up” while watching downrange conditions and wind flags. Moreover one will no longer have to struggle with ultra-critical eye relief or strain to stay centered on a tiny exit pupil (as small as 1mm on high-magnification scopes). A remote screen that displays the view from the scope has obvious advantages for disabled shooters, and for military snipers (who can stay completely concealed). Varmint hunters operating at night and in low-light can also benefit, as the image from the scope can be boosted electronically to appear much brighter on the display.
Alamo Four Star of Texas has pioneered a video display for hunters and disabled shooters, the Deros Vision System. In the pictures below, you can see the system mounted on a rifle and also placed on a Deros rifle fixture used by a disabled shooter. Priced at $995.00, the Deros Vision System is not cheap, but its benefits are obvious for special applications. We predict that, with time, major optics makers will all offer some kind of digital viewing system that can function with spotting scopes and rifle optics. The gimbaled mechanical gun fixture, sold separately, can be mounted directly to a wheelchair.
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May 6th, 2007
 Are you re-barreling a BR rifle and need to know if you will still make weight? Or perhaps you are trying to select the right contour to hit an optimal carry weight for a new varmint rifle? Dan Lilja offers FREE software that will calculate barrel weight for straight contour, straight taper, and radius-tapered barrels. Dan’s software even calculates how fluting alters barrel weight.
For general info on barrel weight calculation for straight and straight tapers, read this article on Lilja’s website. Click HERE for another article explaining weight calculation with barrels that have a radiused (curved) contour section.
Here are the free software programs offered by Dan Lilja. Right click and “Save As”:
Straight Contour (.exe file) | Straight Contour (Excel file)
Contoured Barrels with Radius (Excel file)
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May 6th, 2007
Readers have asked if there is a device that stabilizes sporter rifles with narrow forends, when used with a pedestal rest. There are a variety of products, but one of the best available is the Sinclair Forend Benchrest Adapter. This adjusts to nearly all sporter rifles, with no stock modifications. The rifle’s fore-arm is cradled in a cork-lined bracket with a 3″-wide flat for riding the bag.
Sinclair explains: “Simply insert the appropriate screw (included) through the forend adapter and thread it into the front sling stud hole. The side plates adjust inward to configure to the forend design of your rifle.” The blue-green base is UHWM (Ultra-High Molecular Weight) polymer, a stiff compound that slides easily on the front bag. Sinclair’s Forend Adapter, item 04-1700, costs $31.95.
R.W. Hart offers a similar product, for $36.00, the Accuracy Asset 1, item RWH-N-AA. This is very similar to the Sinclair unit. However, on the Hart, the base (along with the sides) is anodized aluminum, rather than low-friction polymer. The sides and base of the Accuracy Asset are cork-lined.
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May 5th, 2007
Natchez Shooters Supplies has a great deal right now on the Weaver 6-20×40 Grand Slam scope. It’s priced at $299.00, which is $100.00 off the regular price, and $55 less than the lowest price we found anywhere else. This is a good, durable scope for field use, with multi-coated optics. The sale unit, item SN800592, is the Target/Varminter in the Grand Slam line, featuring low profile target-style finger controls and 1/8 minute of angle (MOA) adjustments. This model has a matte silver finish, fine crosshair with dot reticle, and an adjustable objective. Eye relief is 3-2.75”, overall length is 14.25”, and the scope weighs just 18 ounces. Note, Natchez also has the Weaver T-24 target scope on sale at $299.00, item SN849989, but that is currently out of stock.
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May 5th, 2007
While this site is dedicated to precision rifles, we know many of our readers also collect historic military rifles. On April 27, the Civilian Marksmanship Program, ODCMP.com, announced the sale of genuine M1 Carbines. The first group of rifles are “Service Grade” produced by the Inland company. Note, these will be hot sellers at $495.00, and we expect the allotment to sell out quickly. M1s from other manufacturers will be offered later in 2007 and into 2008. The CMP has announced: “Orders for M1 Carbines manufactured by INLAND are now being accepted. The Inland carbines are priced at $495.00 each plus $22.95 S&H. Other manufacturers will not be available until later in the year. We are not accepting orders or establishing waiting lists at this time.” In addition, “Inland Cabines will be available for sale in both CMP Stores (North and South) beginning on 3 May. Carbines will also be available for inspection at the CMP Easter Games and CMP Western Games.” Note, most of these Inland Carbines are coming in from Italy, and their stocks are marked with a “FAT” cartouche (Fabbrica Armi Terni).
UPDATE: As of 5/21/2007 All Inland M1 Carbines are SOLD OUT. Check with CMP for future Carbine Sales.
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May 5th, 2007
 Our Eliseo R5 tubegun kit auction concluded successfully midnight on May 3rd. The high bidder, who has asked to remain anonymous for now, is a prominent Northern California HighPower and long-range BR shooter who has been featured in the Gun of the Week section in the past. Our auction winner hopes to use the R5 kit, for which he bid $1002.00, to “get involved in across the course shooting again”. He will be building the gun as a 6mm Dasher. He wrote, “I submitted a strong bid because I didn’t want to wait until more R5s are available at the end of the summer, and I’m pleased to kick in something extra to support the site.”
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May 4th, 2007
 Currently, Lock, Stock & Barrel, LockStock.com has Bore Tech “Bore Stix” cleaning rods on sale. Regularly $34.25 or higher, most of the 17 cal to 7mm rods in 36″, 40″, and 44″ are discounted to $31.95.
Bore Stix rods have polymer-coated steel shafts, and the handles feature ball bearings in machined races. This allows the shaft to spin freely even when you push from the end. Most Bore Stix (22 Caliber or larger) have an 8/32 female fitting for standard jags. 17-cal and 20-cal rods have a 5/40 female-threaded tip. Click HERE for large photo.
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