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September 25th, 2007
AccurateShooter.com offers high-resolution Cartridge Diagrams for most of the popular cartridges used in competitive rifle shooting and varminting. But we don’t yet cover many larger hunting cartridges (such as 25-06) and the older military chamberings (such as the 6.5 Carcano). If you need a reference diagram for a hunting or military caliber, head over to the Norma website, www.Norma.cc. Norma’s new caliber information section provides diagrams and information for over 70 cartridges. Here are two examples:
25-06 Remington
Originally designed by A. O. Niedner about 1920, this is simply the 30-06 necked down to handle 25-caliber bullets, with no other changes. In 1969, more than half a century later, Remington standardized it as a factory chambering. During the 1900s many of once highly-regarded 25-caliber numbers faded and died – e.g., 25-20 WCF and 25-35 WCF. Conversely, the 25-06 has maintained some, perhaps increasing, degree of popularity since standardization. Thus, it is the only commercial chambering keeping the “quarter-bore” alive and kicking. Read MORE
6.5 Carcano
This was the official Italian military cartridge from 1891 to the end of WWII. The 6.5 Carcano was designed for use in the bolt-action Mannlicher-Carcano rifle. It is designated as the 6.5×52 in Europe. A fair number of these rifles were “liberated” during the war and many more were sold in the US at very low prices after 1945. Hence, it has achieved fairly wide use.
Due to an unusually modest working pressure, this chambering cannot be loaded to match performance of similar 6.5mm cartridges. However, this remains a fine deer and black bear cartridge. The Carcano is the only smokeless rifle ever commercially offered with gaintwist rifling. Due to this feature and the relatively fast final twist, most of these guns will only produce good accuracy with bullets weighing 140 grains or more. Read MORE
Diagrams and content © 2007 Norma Precision AB.
September 24th, 2007
If you’ve visited our home page, you’ve seen that we’ve been running an auction for one of Savage’s new 6.5-284 Precision Target Rifles. This is the same ultra-accurate caliber used by recent F-Class Champions and the U.S. F-Class Team. Savage Arms has generously donated the rifle. All proceeds go to cover operating expenses of this site. MSRP on the rifle is $1211.00. So far, our highest bids top $1050.00. The bidding will close tonight at midnight, Pacific Time. CLICK HERE for rifle photos and complete auction rules.
September 24th, 2007
Richard Franklin (Richard’s Custom Rifles) has pioneered the use of lightweight (110-130 grain) 30-caliber bullets in a new generation of hyper-velocity varmint rifles. Richard’s new trademark cartridge is the “300 Varminter”. Using 30″ barrels with the 300 WSM case, Richard’s “maxi” varminter delivers incredible levels of energy at both short and long range. Traveling at 4000+ FPS, the lightweight, plastic-tipped bullets literally explode when they hit. This can lift a groundhog up to 10 feet in the air–and Richard has VIDEO to prove it.
Richard tells us that demand is high for the 300 Varminter: “I have built 25 of these rifles just this year, and orders are increasing. I’m building them for coyote hunters out west, and well as Eastern groundhog shooters.” Richard adds: “This cartridge is fast AND accurate. My 300 Varminter is now my favorite rifle, and it may be the most accurate long-range varmint rifle I own. Accuracy is really outstanding–I’ve shot groups under 1.5″ at 500 yards with this. And the effect of these bullets at 500+ yards on a ‘Hog has to be seen to be believed.” Richard uses VV 550 and Norma 300 WSM brass: “Norma is the only way to go–the Win and Rem brass is nowhere near as good”.
Richard explains: “The 300 Varminter is built around the 300 WSM case. In good custom actions such as the BAT or Nesika this round will deliver 4000+ FPS with the 125gr Nosler Ballistic tips and a bit more with the 110gr Hornady V-Max. Remington-action rifles will handle velocities up to around 3800 to 3900 FPS with these bullets. We use Norma brass in a tight-neck chamber with zero freebore and slow-twist 30″ barrels to obtain these velocities. Accuracy is excellent with either of these bullets. If you want air time and red mist on large varmints then this is the caliber for you.”
Above is Richard’s personal “300 Varminter” in its distinctive South American Bloodwood stock. That is the true color of the wood–not a stain. Note the deeply recessed crown. Richard says this helps keep noise and blast away from the shooter. Richard’s “Big Red” features a BAT Machine 1.600″ diameter ‘B’ action, Bat 20 MOA rail, Burris Signature Zee rings, Jewel 1.5 oz. trigger, and a Bartlein 1.250″ X 30″, 1:15″ twist barrel. Total weight is 24 lbs. which includes about 4 lbs of lead added to the buttstock. Richard tells us “The Bartleins have been outstanding, with consistent quality and accuracy I can count on.” Richard uses a Nightforce NSX 8-32 X scope with MLR reticle.
How good can one of Richard’s 300 WSM Varminters shoot? Below is a 100-yard target. The fouling shot went a little low, but then the next six (6) shots went into 0.162″. That is amazing for factory varmint bullets. CLICK HERE to view a video of what the 300 Varminter will do (warning–very LOUD and GRAPHIC–turn down your audio before playback).
September 24th, 2007
 U.S. air carrier American Airlines has announced a change to its official policies. Starting today, September 24, 2007, American Airlines will forbid the carrying of any firearms as checked baggage on flights to or from Europe or Asia. The airline’s notice states: “Effective with tickets purchased on/after September 24, 2007, American Airlines will no longer accept firearms in checked baggage to/from any European or Asian destination (except for military/government personnel with proper documentation).” This applies to target rifles and pistols as well as hunting guns. It is unclear whether American Airlines will apply this policy to the Indian subcontinent, Australia, and New Zealand.
Those of you planning to travel to Europe or Asia for competitive or hunting purposes should take note of this new rule. Thankfully, there are other carriers, both domestic and foreign, which still allow rifles to be shipped in locked hard cases as checked baggage. Check with each carrier to determine their particular policies, and you should, of course, also check to ensure you comply with all laws of both your home country and the nation to which you are traveling.
September 23rd, 2007
By uniforming meplats, shooters can reduce variances in the Ballistic Coefficients of a set of bullets. Many top shooters, such as David Tubb, feel that meplat trimming can also reduce group size. Danny Reever has tested and reviewed the Meplat Trimmer from Montour County Rifles. Danny reports this $75.00 tool is well-crafted, easy to use, and it offers some advantages over other meplat trimmers on the market. Starting with a lot of bullets that varied in length up to .008″, Danny was able to bring them all within .003″ using the Montour Trimmer. CLICK HERE for Danny’s full report.
September 23rd, 2007
 A quality borescope is a pricey tool, but once you have the opportunity to use one, it is hard to imagine how you ever did without it. Rifle Shooter magazine has an excellent article about using a Gradient Lens Corp. HawkEye BoreScope. In this feature, What the Eye Can See, writer Terry Wieland explains how to inspect for defects in new barrels, how to recognize different kinds of fouling (in both barrels and brass), and how to spot throat erosion in its early stages. The current generation of HawkEyes can be attached to a still or video camera to record digital images of your bore. The most interesting part of the article is on the second page. There, author Wieland provides photos of various types of internal flaws that can appear in barrels. This will help you spot pitting, excessive land wear, rust damage, and damage from corrosive primers.
Wieland also explains that BoreScopes aren’t just for barrels: “The borescope has other uses as well. It can be used to examine the interior of a cartridge case to look for the beginnings of a case separation or to examine the interior of a loading die that is giving you trouble. When you consider the number of tubular objects that play such an important role in rifle shooting, it is a wonder we were ever able to function without such a method of studying bores.”
September 22nd, 2007
The 300m Lapua European Cup Final 2007 is now underway at the Orbühl range in Winterthur, Switzerland. Shooters from throughout Europe will be competing. Men will shoot both the target (free) rifle and standard rifle in 3-position and prone events, while women will compete with target rifles only in both prone and 3-position events. There will also be a “SuperFINAL” event with money prizes. There will be a total of 12,000 Euros up for grabs at the event. CLICK HERE to download event brochure and map.
Most shooters will be using 6mmBR factory ammo, but many of the Scandinavians will shoot Norma 6XC factory loads, and some of the Swiss shooters will use RUAG 6×47. As with most high-level 300m events in Europe, electronic scoring will be used. The scoring system employs acoustic targets from the Swiss Sius-Ascor firm that output shot placement (and score) directly to target monitors at each shooting position.
Photos used here are from the 300m Europa Cup Championships held earlier this year in Plzen, Czech Republic.
September 22nd, 2007
This weekend, it officially becomes fall. With the changing of the seasons, now, more than ever, it’s important to protect your firearms from rust and corrosion. For guns stored in a safe or enclosed locker, a GoldenRod unit is a must-have accessory. The GoldenRod, marketed as a dehumidifier, is a small, low-wattage electric heating element you place in the safe. Running 24/7 at 140° F, the GoldenRod warms the air in your safe. This changes relative humidity and raises the dew point in the safe so water vapor does not condense on your arms and valuable accessories. When combined with Desiccant packs that absorb moisture, the GoldenRod is extremely effective at keeping your guns rust-free during long-term storage. We do recommend wiping down your guns with Boeshield, Eezox, or Corrosion-X before putting them in storage. These are three of the best corrosion-inhibiting metal coatings you can buy.
Now through September 30, 2007, MidwayUSA offers the 18″ GoldenRod heating unit (item 614184) for just $16.99, marked down from $19.99. This is rated for up to 200 cubic feet safe. All GoldenRods come with a detachable plugs for easy installation.
September 21st, 2007
 They don’t call Jerry Miculek a “living legend” for nothing. Competing at the United States Practical Shooting Assn. (USPSA) Nationals held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, earlier this month, Miculek captured his Fifth National Revolver Championship. Jerry also holds numerous wheelgun speed-shooting records. This year’s USPSA match featured 18 stages of fire, with a variety of steel and paper targets. Miculek, competing with a Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 627 8-shot revolver, faced tough competition throughout the 3-day match.
“This year’s match had a little bit of everything,” said Jerry, “The courses of fire were some of the toughest I have ever seen and the changing weather conditions were a constant factor throughout the match. I am very pleased…when you consider the talented field of competitors. The USPSA staff did an outstanding job of setting up the courses of fire that were both fair and well balanced.”
CLICK HERE for a Video (hosted on YouTube), showing Jerry’s blazing speed. In the video, filmed a couple years ago, Jerry puts 8 rounds on 4 targets in 1.06 seconds. Then he does 6 shots, a reload and 6 more shots in 2.99 seconds. If you haven’t seen Miculek on camera before, we guarantee you’ll be amazed.
September 21st, 2007
Hodgdon powder has recently updated its interactive Reloading Data Center to include load information for the new 17 Remington Fireball. Introduced earlier this year, the 17 Fireball is based on a .221 Fireball necked down to 17 caliber. It is similar to the 17 Mach IV wildcat, but case dimensions aren’t identical. Kurt Nelson of Redding Reloading explains: “Headspace and the shoulder/neck geometry are different–plus there are variations of the 17 Mach 4 out there.” Hodgdon’s Data Center provides loads for 20-35 grain varmint bullets, with velocities up to 3758 fps. Powders include Benchmark, H332, H335, H4198, and IMR 4198.
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