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September 13th, 2007
The 4th Annual U.S. F-Class Championships runs Sept. 13-15 at the NRA Whittington Center, Raton, New Mexico. If you are near the area, head over to Raton to witness the action–many of the nation’s best long-range shooters will be competing. The F-Class Championship follows on the heels of the Spirit of America (SOA) match, hosted at the Whittington Center earlier this week. This is the first time the SOA and the F-Class Nationals have been held back to back.
Spirit of America F-Class results have been tallied. Team Savage shot consistently to win the Team Competition. Posting in Long-Range.com, Warren Dean reported: “Darrell Buell absolutely dominated the SOA/Fullbore Nats in the F-T/R division, winning 2 of the 4 matches and taking a 2nd in another. Conditions were a pretty squirrely at times and far from optimal, but Darrell took us all to school on reading the wind.” We were also pleased to see Forum Members John Dink and Monte Milanuk in the F-TR top 3. In F-Open, U.S. F-Class Teammates Jim Murphy, Larry Bartholome, and John Brewer finished first through third respectively. We can expect more from all these shooters in the next few days.
Spirit of America F-Class Results
F-Open
1. Jim Murphy
2. Larry Bartholome
3. John Brewer |
F-TR
1. Darrell Buell
2. John Dink
3. Monte Milanuk |
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September 13th, 2007
As promised, here are specifics on the new 95 grain Sierra MatchKing bullet. As you can see below, it looks very similar to the Sierra 107 MatchKing, but it’s just a bit shorter, with a bit more curve in the top quarter. Our samples measured 0.2433 at the pressure ring — same as the current Sierra 107 MKs. Jason Baney provides this info:
95 SMK OAL: 1.182″ | 107 SMK OAL: 1.216″ | 105 Berger OAL: 1.235″
Shown below is Jason’s group from long-range testing. Jason tells us: “I had 8 shots group 2.75″ high x 3.5″ wide, with nine shots in just 4.2″–that’s excellent. One shot went high, opening it up to 6.9″. Keep in mind a 4.2″ is considered pretty spectacular at Williamsport. And a 6.9″ is a very competitive group that will win many relays. I shot this group in decent, but nowhere near perfect, conditions at 1025 yards. These new 95s definitely have some potential at 1000. . . and even more at 600 yards.”
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September 13th, 2007
When Speedy closed up shop at SG&Y in Texas and headed off to Colorado to teach gunsmithing, he had quite a few of the superbly-crafted BRX stocks in inventory. Built by Robertson Composites in Canada, these BRX models are truly some of the nicest fiberglass stocks you can buy. The geometry is correct, sidewalls are straight and the flats are uniform without center seams. The external finish is top-notch, a high-gloss gelcoat without flaws and voids.
CLICK for Stock Info and BIG PHOTOS
Jerry Stiller acquired Speedy’s inventory of Robertson BRX stocks and they are now for sale. Price is $375 partially inletted with fitted buttplate, plus shipping. Jerry has a dozen or more, in various colors, most with a marble two-tone design. If you want one, don’t delay–these are selling fast. Call (972) 429-5000. You can see details in the photos below, originally taken by Speedy. (These colors may no longer be available.)
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September 12th, 2007
EXCLUSIVE AccurateShooter.com Report
Sierra Bullets has a new 95gr, 6mm boat-tail MatchKing bullet. It is optimized for 1:10 (or faster) twist rate barrels. Jason Baney has tested prototypes of the new Sierra 95 MK and it has shot very well at 1000 yards. This should be an excellent bullet for both match shooters AND varminters. It can be driven much faster than a 105-107 grain bullet from a 6BR–3050 fps is doable with a 27″ or longer barrel. This bullet should be a screamer in a 6XC, 6-6.5×47, or .243 Win. The Ballistic Coefficient (BC) hasn’t been calculated yet, but Sierra’s engineers believe it will be “around 0.500″. The bullet diameter is spec’d at .2432″-.2434″ at the junction of the shank and boat-tail (pressure ring).
Sierra is drawing jackets for the new 95gr SMK right now, and it anticipates the first lots will be delivered to retailers “after Thanksgiving”, if not sooner.
Sierra had asked us to keep this bullet under wraps until a final decision was made to put the new projectile in production. According to Rich Macholz of Sierra, “We’ve been very happy with our test results and we know there’s a need for a bullet in this weight range. We see the 95 as ideal for guys with factory .243s and the like who want a super-accurate bullet that works in a 10-twist barrel. It should also work great at 300 meters with a 6BR or 6XC. I’ve shot the 95s in my own 243 and won a match with it. As with all MatchKings, the new 95 has a strong jacket and this bullet can be pushed to 3400 fps and beyond without problems. If you want a bullet for a .243 Ackley or 6-284, this 95 SMK can handle the velocity. It should be a great choice for the Varmint Jamboree and similar competitions.”
Stay tuned to the Daily Bulletin. Jason has a supply of the new 95-grainers and he will supply close-up photos and further specifications very soon. For more info on the new 95 Sierra MK, call 1-800-223-8799 to speak with a Sierra Bulletsmith.
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September 12th, 2007
MidwayUSA has a supply of Remington 700 actions suitable for use in a custom rifle build. These include a standard Rem trigger and bolt, but NO trigger guard or floorplate. The trigger is the standard 700 trigger, not the X-Mark Pro. This is a normal NON-ISS bolt — it does NOT have an internal locking switch. These are factory actions. They have not been “trued” by a gunsmith or otherwise modified. Midway has three action configurations available:
Item 110410: Short Action 223 Rem Bolt Face, Blue Steel, $399.99
Item 877614: Long Action Magnum Bolt Face, Blue Steel, $439.99
Item 122950: Long Action Magnum Bolt Face, Stainless Steel, $449.99
NOTE: An FFL is required to purchase these actions. Have your FFL of choice send MidwayUSA a signed copy of his current FFL license.
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September 11th, 2007
Times are good for Smith & Wesson, the well-known pistol-maker which also recently starting retailing AR15 type rifles, shotguns, and hunting rifles. Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:SWHC) recently reported first-quarter profit increased 39 percent compared to the same period last year. The company credited strong firearms sales as well as its acquisition of Thompson/Center Arms. Firearm sales were up 55.2 percent in the quarter. Handgun sales at retail locations rose 41 percent.
We are pleased to record the success of Smith & Wesson as it expands its product line to include long guns. The addition of another major rifle manufacturer is a good thing for the shooting sports. George Gardner of GA Precision has built some tactical rifles using the new T/C Icon action. And Carl Bernosky (photo below) won the NRA High Power Nationals at Camp Perry using a AR15 platform with a Smith & Wesson M&P15 lower and John Holliger match upper. This was the first time a semi-auto AR15 won “all the marbles” at Camp Perry in the High Power division. (AR15s of course are the mainstay of Service Rifle matches.)
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September 11th, 2007
 The editors of SHOOT! Magazine, have created a new print publication, Junior Shooters, promoting youth participation in hunting and all shooting sports disciplines. The debut issue of Junior Shooters highlights NSSF’s Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and features articles about smallbore and air rifle, Olympic shooting, and Western Action shooting. This issue includes an in-depth feature on Olympic Champion Kim Rhode who won a Gold Medal in shotgun at age 17. Click Here to download a preview of Junior Shooter’s first issue. SHOOT! Magazine donated 10,000 copies of the issue to NSSF that were distributed at SCTP’s national championships this year. SHOOT! Magazine covers Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS), Cowboy Mounted Shooting, Black Powder Cartridge Silhouette, Cowboy Fast Draw, and all forms of Western-action shooting.
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September 10th, 2007
American teams topped the field at the recent World Benchrest Shooting Federation (WBSF) Championship, hosted in Hölles, Austria. USA Team 3 (Ed Adams, Darrel Loker, Tim Oltersdorf, and Mike Ratigan) took the Team Gold Medal, followed by USA 2 (Silver), and USA 1 (Bronze). American Mike Ratigan was the top individual shooter, winning the Two Gun (.2188 MOA 2-gun Agg), the Heavy Varmint Grand Agg, and the Light Varmint Grand Agg. Mike also added Silver and Bronze medals in the 200m and 100m LV matches, adding to his haul. Wow. Way to go Mike! I guess it’s high time for all of us to read Mike’s Benchrest treatise, Extreme Rifle Accuracy. Giantonio Quaglino from Italy finished second in Two-Gun, with France’s Jean Louis Espinet placing third. Complete match results are found on the WBSF Website.
Italy’s Giantonio Quaglino, New Zealander Ian Owen, and American Larry Costa all had strong individual showings, each winning multiple medals. Ian won silver in the HV Grand Agg and Bronze in the HV 200m. Giantonio grabbed Gold in the Light Varmint 200m and finished Second Overall (in Two-Gun), behind Ratigan. Larry Costa also won two medals–Gold in the HV 200m and Bronze in the HV Grand Agg.
There were many other notable team and individual efforts and we congratulate all the shooters. After the three American Teams, Canada Team 2 (.3085 MOA), Italy Team 1 (.3092 MOA), and France Team 1 (.3113 MOA), were tightly clustered–proving the quality of the competition. While the USA Teams prevailed, international shooters proved their mettle. Three of the Top Five Shooters were from outside the United States. Here are individual Two-Gun results:
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September 10th, 2007
HPS Target Rifles Ltd. in the UK offers some of the most advanced rifle components and accessories you’ll find anywhere. HPS specializes in precision shooting gear and accessories for smallbore, benchrest, and long-range shooters. HPS is an authorized dealer for RPA actions and sights, Musgrave Actions, and Lothar Walther barrels. Click HERE to download a 35-page color brochure with everything from reloading components to complete rifles. You’ll find quite a few items not carried by any American vendor.
HPS offers a wide range of accessories for Highpower and Free Rifle shooters including adjustable hand-stops and butt-plates, plus System Gemini Stocks. You’ll find sights, buttplates, and accessories for Anschutz and other European precision competition rifles. HPS also produces some unique high-end equipment such as the System Gemini Test Rig (shown in photos). This is a transportable return-to-battery testing device that takes human error out of the aiming process. The Gemini Test Rig is offered in both rimfire and centerfire (fullbore) versions.
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September 9th, 2007
 Under the able direction of the Varmint Hunters Association (VHA), the 2007 IBS 600-yard Nationals were held this past week in Pierre, SD at the VHA Range. The match drew competitors from around the country. The big winner was Glen Sterling, who captured the Two-Gun title, and finished first in both Heavy Gun Group and Score, shooting a 300 Win Mag in HG (Glen shot a 6mm Wildcat in Light Gun).
 A familiar name, Richard Schatz, piloted his 6mm Dasher to victory in the Light Gun division, posting both Small Group and Best Score. Richard, the “Duke of Dashers“, added another record to his collection, shooting a 5-round group of .888″ according to initial reports. This may be a new IBS world record. Congratulations to Glen and Richard for their impressive shooting.
Full match results should be available on the VHA Website, within a few days. Thanks to Donovan Moran for this report. Donovan, who chatted with Glen after the match, tells us: “Glen Sterling really shot some phenomenal small groups and very high scores. The first 6 targets and scores he shot are amazingly consistent — SMALL and centered up for high scores (from what I heard, Targets 7 & 8 were shot in down pouring rain and wind).” Here are Glen’s Heavy Gun results, producing a 2.3915″ Aggregate with 379-6X score total for eight 5-shot groups:
Target 1 = 1.886″ / 50-3X | Target 2 = 2.460″ / 48
Target 3 = 2.325″ / 50-1X | Target 4 = 1.592″ / 49-1X
Target 5 = 1.473″ / 47-1X | Target 6 = 1.413″ / 47
Target 7 = 4.590″ / 41 | Target 8 = 3.414″ / 47
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September 8th, 2007
Rock Island Auction Company (RIA), one of the nation’s leading firearms auction houses, is conducting a Premiere Collector’s Firearms Auction this weekend (Sept. 8, 9, & 10) in Moline, IL. Among the many valuable items for sale is President John F. Kennedy’s Garand rifle, issued to then Senator Kennedy by the Army’s Director of Marksmanship.
It is estimated JFK’s Garand will fetch $50,000-$100,000 at auction. That’s too rich for us, but it’s fun to view photos of the rifle and the associated historical documentation. Click Here to view the auction. Note: hundreds of other items are up for sale in the next three days. If you are interested in bidding, you can do so by telephone or by sealed online bid. All the 3227 items up for auction, including many classic Winchesters, are listed in this online auction database.
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September 7th, 2007
 The 2007 Western CMP Games will take place at the Ben Avery Shooting Center north of Phoenix, Arizona on 20-23 October. The 2007 Western Creedmoor Cup Matches will also take place at the Ben Avery Range on 24-28 October. Together, these back-to-back competitions comprise one of the major West Coast events of the year for Highpower and position shooters, and there’s still time to REGISTER.
MATCH INFO SHEET | BEN AVERY Facilities MAP
These combined matches offer activities for virtually every highpower rifle shooter–from clinics for beginning shooters to less formal Garand, Springfield and Military Rifle Matches to CMP Excellence-in-Competition Matches to NRA Registered Service and Match Rifle Highpower events. The official program is posted at www.ODCMP.com/Competitions/WesternGames.htm. You can sign-up on-line for any of the Western CMP Games or Creedmoor Cup matches at this REGISTRATION PAGE. Just fill in your contact info and select the matches you want to shoot. All data is sent via the web so you don’t even need a postage stamp.
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