|
|
August 21st, 2007
Doskocil cases — you see them everywhere in the gun world. With their durable plastic shells, dimpled foam linings, and distinctive low-profile sliding latches, Doskocil cases are inexpensive, durable and easy to store. This editor must have a dozen Doskocils, large and small.
Well, now Doskocil cases will be made by Plano, another large manufacturer of plastic-shelled gear cases. Plano Molding Co. announced the purchse of Doskocil Mfg.’s Doskosport Outdoor Division, effective immediately. The Doskosport product line includes Gun Guard, Bow Guard, Cargo Golf and related outdoor products. Currently, Plano makes Pro-Max gun cases and Bow-Max bow cases, plus a range of shooting sports and accessory storage cases.
We hope that Plano maintains the Doskocil design features that we like, particularly the sliding latches and recessed handles on the “GunGuard” value-line cases. These features make Doskocil cases much easier to slide in a cardboard shipping box, plus they are more convenient to store in a safe than cases with handles and latches that stick out. We’ll have to wait and see…. All Gun Guard, Bow Guard & Cargo Golf items will be manufactured by Plano by the end of 2007.
Share the post "Plano Acquires Doskosport Gun Case Maker"
August 20th, 2007
Zak Smith and other 6.5×47 shooters are starting to turn heads in tactical competition. The compact new round is proving itself capable of finishing at the top of the podium. Zak Smith has been working with our 6.5×47 Lapua project rifle. This features an Accuracy Int’l action and chassis, and a Satern 25.3″ barrel. The gun has performed well with 139, 130, and 123 grain bullets. In recent matches, Zak has been shooting 123gr Lapua Scenar bullets at 2930 fps with RL15 powder and CCI BR4s. Accuracy is well under half-moa, and Zack said “the gun has performed flawlessly with this load.”
Zak Smith took top honors at the CMG Camp Guernsey Invitational Multi-Gun Match shooting his 6.5×47 Lapua (with 123gr Scenars) in the rifle segment of the 3-gun match. This was a rifle, carbine, and pistol event with rifle targets out to 700 and carbine targets out to about 330 yards. Thirty-eight shooters competed through seven stages over two days. With his 6.5×47, Zak completely dominated the rifle field on one of the hardest sniper stages, beating the next closest shooter by 35%. Zak reports: “On the other hard sniper stage, Henning Walgren and I were within 2% (he was ahead), but the rest were at least 10% down. My overall margin was 56 match points ahead of 2nd place over the 7 stages.”
LINK TO: Full Story on the Multi-Gun Match
Zak reports: “I shot the 6.5×47 at the regular monthly Sporting Rifle Match on August 5th in Raton, NM, on August 5th. After the main match, two 6.5×47 Lapua shooters, John Sternberg (photo below) and myself, were tied for second. John edged me in the shootoff, so I ended up 3rd overall. FYI, John was using the 130 Cauterucio bullets, driving them about 2970 fps with Reloader 15.” This shows that one can definitely achieve 260 Rem class ballistics with the smaller 6.5×47 cartridge. The winner of the match was running a 260 Rem, and just edged Zack and the other 6.5×47 shooter by three points on the end of the main match.
Share the post "6.5×47 Lapua Shines in Tactical and Three-Gun Comps"
August 20th, 2007
Shooting USA, the popular television series, has created a series of instructional features in conjunction with the United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU). These online ‘Pro Tips’ USAMU Shooting Lessons will now be available on MyOutdoorTV.com through a partnership with Shooting USA.
Shooting USA Television has joined more than 80 outdoor sports television producers in offering programming segments to MyOutdoorTV.com. More than twelve-hundred television videos are now available to DSL and Cable Internet users via MyOutdoorTV.com.
“We’ve used the internet for years to stay in touch with our audience,” commented Jim Scoutten, executive producer of Shooting USA. “Now we’re able to make our show content available world-wide, thanks to our partnership with MyOutdoorTV. The fans are telling us they’re thrilled,” Scoutten said.
Streaming Gun Videos on MyOutdoorTV.com
In addition to making the USAMU Pro Tips available, MyOutdoorTV.com also streams Shooting USA segments on manufacturers such as Blackhawk and ZM Weapons, as well as the Int’l Sniper Competition recently held at Fort Benning. MyOutdoorTV.com streams over 80 shows on shooting sports, hunting, fishing, and boating. The website also hosts radio shows, outdoor videos, and the new State Explorer sections.
Share the post "USAMU Shooting Lessons Available on MyOutdoorTV.com"
August 19th, 2007
If you’re a bargain hunter, check out the Sample List maintained by SWFA.com. Here you’ll find scores of optics items and accessories at below wholesale prices. Many of these products are new (never been sold) items, that were used in trade shows or as demos.
Some of the more exciting current Sample List Offerings are:
Swarovski 8×30 Laser Guide just $749.95 (marked down from $987.00 suggested retail). This is AccurateShooter.com’s top-rated laser rangefinder.
Zeiss 6.5-20×50 Conquest, priced from $699.95 to $729.95. This is our top-rated 1″-tube 6 to 20x zoom scope. The Conquest is bright, sharp, with very repeatable clicks.
Leica 77mm Straight Televid APO (Body only), Silver finish, Aluminum body, fast focus and coarse focus, straight view, Special high definition model, used, close to new condition. MSRP on this item is over $2100. The Sample list has them on sale for $1,299.95. Note Leica announced it was discountining the 77mm Televid line, so if you want one, buy it soon.
Share the post "Good Values on SWFA's Sample List"
August 19th, 2007
Cabela’s Incorporated, (NYSE: CAB), recently announced that it will acquire S.I.R. Warehouse Sports Store, a Winnipeg, Canada-based retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and outdoor merchandise. Founded in 1924 by Sydney Isaac Robinson, S.I.R. has grown into one of Canada’s leading outdoor outfitters through its mail-order operation and 44,000-square-foot retail store in Winnipeg. A family-owned and operated business, S.I.R is headed by Earl Robinson, son of the company’s founder, who serves as president.
According to Dennis Highby, Cabela’s President and CEP. “This acquisition will allow us to accelerate growth of our retail, catalog and Internet business in Canada, and though we already have a loyal customer base in Canada, we expect significant growth in Canadian business as a result of this transaction.”
Cabela’s, founded in 1961, has a similar family-oriented history and tradition. Dick Cabela and his brother, Jim, built the company from a small mail-order operation to a world-wide multi-channel retail operation, selling merchandise through mail-order, a Web site and a growing chain of destination retail stores. Cabela’s went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2004. Cabela’s currently has thousands of catalog and Internet customers in Canada, but this would be its first Canadian retail operation. The purchase price has not been disclosed.
Share the post "Cabela's Expands into Canada with S.I.R. Warehouse Acquisition"
August 18th, 2007
 Here’s something that can save you lots of time and aggravation on a varminting trip. This little $60 gizmo is great for varmint hunters and any one who needs to make a quick shot in shifty wind conditions. Kenton Industries’ Tuned Windage Compensator (TWC) has built-in windage marks for 10 mph cross-winds at 100-1000 yards. How do they do that? Well the knobs are calibrated either for specific calibers/loads, or they can make custom knobs using your observed field data. The knobs can compensate for various wind speeds (2-20 mph) and angles (15°- 90°), by applying some simple conversion ratios. For example, this is how you’d set the knob for a 5 mph wind or a quartering wind: 5 mph crosswind at 400 yards = dial in 200 yards; 10 mph, 45° crosswind at 400 yards = dial in 300 yards.
Share the post "Kenton Calibrated Windage Knob"
August 17th, 2007
John Whidden is the 2007 NRA National Long-Range Champion. He not only won the overall championship but he also won the Canadian Cup and the Palma competition. In fact, John won the Palma with the very same gun featured on this site as our “Gun of the Week”. Congrats to a great champion for well-deserved victories.
Thanks to Jim Hardy for this Report.
Share the post "Whidden Wins Long-Range Championship at Perry"
August 17th, 2007
Now this is a great deal for all you prone shooters out there. Now through August 30, 2007, MidwayUSA is offering a 69″ x 27″ padded shooting mat for just $24.99, item 169107. That’s less than half what you’d pay for a typical shooting pad, and many are priced closer to $80.00. (MidwayUSA’s regular price on this mat is $49.99.) Made from polyester fabric, the mat is black on the bottom and khaki color on top. It features reinforced, slip-resistant elbow and knee pads. It has a fold-out front flap and corner grommets which can be staked down. Those are two smart features that are NOT offered on most shooting pads, even more expensive ones. MidwayUSA’s mat meets NRA Smallbore and Highpower specifications, and rolls up to a compact 6″ diameter with a carry strap.
User reviews have been quite positive: “I purchased the mat while it was on sale and do not regret it a bit. It seems durable, has a good backing and the no-slip patches are a good feature in prone. Dirt brushes off easily when dry.” — R. Hopkins; “Very good for the money. The padding could have been a little thicker.” — J. Williams; “This shooting mat is … durable, convenient and comfortable.” — G. Jordan.
Share the post "Padded Shooting Mat Just $24.99"
August 16th, 2007
Danny Reever recently researched the options for shooters who need corrective lenses. Danny writes: “My eyes were checked last week, and I needed a new prescription. After doing some online research, I received an email from a fellow shooter who happens to be an optician. He gave me sound advice and technical facts and figures. My local optician later concurred with everything the fellow shooter/optician suggested. Here are the key things I learned:
 CHOICE of MATERIALS
Shooting glasses need to be shatterproof. You basically have only two choices in shatterproof materials: Polycarbonate, or Trivex™ made by PPG. Most optical shops will favor Polycarbonate, because that’s what they sell the most of. However Poly is far from the best material in terms of optical properties. Glass is the best for optical clarity and lack of distortion, with an ABBE number of about 58 (the measurement of chromatic aberration, higher being better). Unfortunately glass lenses are heavy, (glass has a Specific Gravity number of about 2.50–the higher number the more weight). Worse yet, glass shatters. With conventional glass lenses, if a cartridge lets go at 60,000 PSI, you could lose an eye, or worse.
Polycarbonate is very strong and shatter resistant. Unfortunately it only has an ABBE number of 30. This is not great optically, especially when you are looking off-axis. Poly, however, is much lighter than glass. Poly has a Specific Gravity number of about 1.20.
So that leaves PPG Trivex™. Trivex is very strong AND very light, and rates well optically. Trivex™ is nearly as strong as Polycarbonate, yet is even lighter (with a Specific Gravity of 1.11). With an ABBE number of about 45, Trivex™ is much better optically than Polycarbonate. In addition, Trivex™ is chemically resistant to cleaning solutions, oil, and skin care products. Trivex™ can be drilled, grooved and notched very easy, so it is well-suited for rimless glasses and sport glasses. Click for TriVex Lens Report.
LENS COATINGS and FEATURES
I was told to go with a very high-quality, anti-reflective coating. I also ordered ‘Transitions’ photochromatic coating to eliminate the need for extra sunglasses. (However, a ‘Transitions’ coating may not work well as driving glasses since most automobile windshields are tinted to block the UV rays that trigger the transitions effect.)
I ordered a no-line bifocal. This was a compromise in itself since having a single focal plane for shooting might be a better bet, but then you may be forced to buy two pairs of glasses. Your lens prescription can also be optimized for scope-viewing by having the viewing axis ground off-center. But then again you may need a second pair for everyday use.
CONCLUSION
The experts told me that, as far as eyeglasses are concerned, ‘Everything in optics is a trade-off…there is NO perfect answer’. Pick a good licensed optician that is familiar with ALL the options available to you. Do not deal with a ‘frame stylist’ unless being trendy or pretty is your only goal. The fellow shooter/optician gave me this advice: ‘Good opticians, like good gunsmiths, are not cheap in the short run, but always cheaper long term’. Remember, you only have one pair of eyes, so protecting them must be the first priority (remember the trade offs), otherwise you are playing ‘Russian Roulette’ every time you pull the trigger.”
Share the post "Expert Advice on Prescription Shooting Glasses"
August 16th, 2007
Midsouth Shooters Supply has the brand New SPEER Reloading Manual #14 on sale for just $23.92, item 021-9515. The SPEER manual is one of the best printed reloading resources, and it remains the top-selling reference worldwide. The 14th edition contains more than 700 pages of how-to information with charts, illustrations, and photographs. You’ll find over 9,000 powder loads, plus bullet data, detailed ballistics tables, bullet energy and velocity tables, special techniques sections, and much more. This volume is a worthwhile addition to every reloader’s library.
Share the post "New 14th Speer Reloading Manual"
August 15th, 2007
I lost my father last night. One moment I was holding his hand, feeling his pulse racing in one final effort to hold on to life. Then he closed his eyes, and I could feel his pulse slow until the last beat. You never realize life is so fragile until that moment when it ebbs away. Forever.
Here’s hoping you are in a better place Lieutenant.
Go with God, old soldier.
If you know an old soldier… spend time with them soon. We will all be poorer for their passing. Men like my dad were once young and brave — part of a great, noble effort that just managed to save the world. For that, they should be honored.
 In his lifetime, my father was many things — a Forest Ranger on fire watch in the Olympic Mountains, a commander of Army Engineers in North Africa, a student at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, a college professor, a celebrated artist whose works hung in the Guggenheim, an illustrator for the Space Program. He was one of the “Greatest Generation” — those young Americans that fought to save the world from Nazi oppression in WWII. He lived an amazing life for 87 years, but his time came at last. I can only take solace in the fact that his passing was gentle and without pain. But I will miss him, and I already feel an emptiness in my life.
Though he never became a rich man, he was truly a gentleman and a scholar. He was compassionate to all and honest to a fault. One thing I can do in his memory, something I know would give him a smile, is to show some of his art. He would enjoy knowing that people, around the world, could see something he created.
God bless, Dad, this is for you.
Share the post "Go with God, Old Soldier…"
August 14th, 2007
Major Benchrest and long-range rifle matches are slated for the next few weeks around the country. Our top shooters will be busy. Here are some of the most important events set for the next month:
IBS Score Nationals: August 18 – 19
Canastota Conservation Club, Warners Road, Canastota, New York. Pre-Register by contacting Ward Tarasek, (315) 348 4366, P.O. Box 152, Turin, NY 13473. Info/Registration form.
World Benchrest Championships: August 26 – Sept. 1
The 9th World Benchrest Championships (WBC9) will be held in Austria, at the benchrest range in Hölles, about 20km (13 miles) south of Vienna.
 Top shooters from around the world (as far as Japan and South Africa) will compete. Official Training sessions commence on the 26th, and matches begin on the 28th. CLICK HERE for range photos and lodging info. You can also download a List of Competitors.
IBS 1000-Yard Nationals: September 1 – 2
Virginia 1000 Yard Club, Quantico, Virginia. Utilizing Range #4 U.S.M.C. Base, Quantico Virginia. Take Exit #148 from Interstate 95. Registration Form.
IBS 600 Yard Nationals: September 6 – 8
Co-sponsored by the Varmint Hunters Association. Hosted at the VHA Range, 28050 US Hwy 14/34, 6 Miles west of Ft. Pierre, South Dakota. Match Information Page | Map.
NRA Nat’l Fullbore Rifle Champs (SOA): Sept. 9 – 12
NRA Nat’l F-Class Championship: September 13 – 15
Events hosted at the NRA Whittington Center, Raton, New Mexico. The Spirit of America Fullbore event will be followed immediately by the U.S. F-Class Championship. For more info on both championship matches at Raton, contact Al Coots, P.O. Box 52024, Mesa, AZ 85208. Here are links for Whittington Range Information and Housing and Camping.
NBRSA Group Benchrest Nationals: September 17-22
Major event for LV, HV and Sporter Class Rifles. The NBRSA Nationals will be hosted at the Kelbly Range in North Lawrence, Ohio. Map to Range.
Share the post "Major Matches Kick Off Soon"
|
