|
|
December 13th, 2007
 Readers may have noticed that there are large, blank blocks in many of our editorial layouts today. That’s because, despite having approved this site for its Adsense program, Google decided last night that it did not want its ads for Gunsmiths, Reloading Supplies, Shooting Gear, and Rifle Scopes to appear on a web site that features Gunsmiths, Reloading Supplies, Shooting Gear, Rifle Scopes and other “gun stuff”.
 To comply with Google’s policies, and to continue to provide a venue for Google’s Pay-Per-Click Adsense advertisers who purchased ads for gun supplies, gunsmithing services, gun safes, hunting gear, rifle scopes and the like, we have created a new webpage. On the new page, you won’t find any pictures of guns–just sweet pink fuzzy bunnies instead.
On our new Fuzzy Bunny page, we make sure to tell readers that guns are bad and fuzzy bunnies are good. You’ll learn that guns are “icky and scary” and you don’t need to have them. Conveniently though, you’ll still be able to find nice pink, click-friendly Google ads for rifle scopes, spotting scopes, hunting gear, gunsafes and all those other things. You’ll also find handy reprints of our technical guides about rifle scopes and spotting scopes.
 Fuzzy Bunny Homepage
Have fun, shop safe, and remember … Google and the Fuzzy Bunny always know what’s best for you!
Share the post "Google-Friendly Fuzzy Bunny Website Launched"
December 12th, 2007
Here’s a product that should interest all F-Class shooters. It is a new bipod that offers unrivaled stability from an ultra-wide footprint. Nick-named the “Ski Bipod”, this impressive unit is custom-crafted by Canadian Henry Rempel, who also conceived the design. The height of the bipod is adjustable as is the distance between the runners or “skis” that contact the ground. And there is a cant adjustment allowing the rifle to be leveled on uneven ground. The reason Henry used ski-like runners rather than flat pads is that this allows the rifle to slide slightly reward during recoil. That eliminates much of the hop and rotation associated with conventional bipods.
Forum member Keith Skjerdal reports: “A lot of F-CLass guys in Canada are using the Ski Bipod made by Henry Remple out of Calgary. It is very well made and steady as a conventional pedestal rest. Even some guys in the USA and Britain have them now. If you want the best, this is it, in my opinion. This makes the trip to the mound easier than with a big pedestal rest. Downside? Well, since the Ski Bipod attaches to your rifle, it counts in your total weight under the rules. The Ski Bipod adds roughly 3.5 pounds to your gun’s weight. The cost is around $400-420 Cdn (this basically covers the cost of materials and all that milling work.)
To get one, contact Henry Rempel from Calgary. He does not have a web site. His home phone number (after 7 pm) is 1-403-272-8416. I think his email is henry.rempel [at] hotmail.com.”
Photos Copyright © Richard Dreger, used by permission.
Share the post "Advanced ‘Ski Bipod’ from Canada"
December 12th, 2007
MyOutdoorTV.com has been relaunched with a new design that gives viewers more options in how they select and watch videos. Now organized into channels that target viewers’ interests, the redesigned site allows easier navigation of MyOutdoorTV’s large library of outdoor programming.
“With our library of titles and individual videos growing so rapidly, we’re making sure the site evolves to keep pace,” said Chris Moise, CEO. “Our new design does a better job of highlighting our award-winning programming by category[.].”
The home page of the redesigned site lists six networks that classify shows by general topic: Wildlife & Nature, Fishing, Hunting/Shooting, The Showroom, State Explorer, and Travel. The viewer can choose a network to explore, or go directly to a favorite show or state by clicking on “Online TV Listings.” One can also use the site’s Search feature to find an activity, species, location, or other keyword.
Share the post "MyOutdoorTV.com Upgrades Website"
December 11th, 2007
Birchwood Casey Bullseye Challenge
It you want to burn some time on a cold winter evening (or in the daytime–just don’t tell the boss), have fun with this online flash shooting game from Birchwood Casey. It’s easy — just aim the crosshairs at the ten-ring when each bull pops up. Warning: This game is loud, so you may want to turn down your sound levels before starting.
CLICK HERE to LAUNCH GAME
Share the post "FREE Flash-Based Shooting Game"
December 11th, 2007
 Here is an interesting product, currently on sale as a $19.99 “December Special” at Midsouth Shooters Supply. The Shooters Ridge Varminter Shooting Bag is a roomy gear bag fitted with a built-in rifle rest that retracts into the front pocket. The bag is built of rugged 1200-denier nylon, PVC-coated for rain resistance. It is big enough to hold ammo, muffs, binoculars, compact spotting scope and more. The bag also includes a padded shoulder strap.
While the integral rest is hardly a substitute for a good pedestal rest, this Varminter bag could be useful for the walk-around varminter or a shooter who might otherwise use a rucksack as a handy rest. At just $19.99, this product is a very good deal for a roomy range bag even without the integral rest feature. This bag regularly retails for $39.00 to $46.00 at other vendors including a lightweight shooting mat. (The $19.99 Bag sold by Midsouth, item 097-40484, does NOT include a mat). Here is a report from a Cabela’s customer: “There is plenty of room for gadgets and ammo, not to mention the fact that I have one less thing to carry when zeroing at 100 yards. I’m not sure that I would use this for any long range shooting or hunting but when sighting in my 243 WSSM it gave me the stability to produce consistent satisfactory 1/2″ groups with factory loads.”
To further sweeten the deal, Shooter’s Ridge is currently offering a FREE $24.99 Multi-tool, if you purchase $30.00 or more of Shooter’s Ridge Products.
CLICK HERE for MULTI-TOOL COUPON
Share the post "Handy Bag for Walk-Around Varminter"
December 10th, 2007
Readers enjoyed our recent “Poor Man’s Tactical” item featuring the Tikka model 595. Well here’s a followup for F-TR shooters. The Tikka “Master Sporter” features an adjustable cheekpiece, adjustable buttpad, accessory rail, and 5-round detachable magazine. Remarkably, these originally sold for about U.S. $650.00, yet it was not unusual for them to shoot close to 1/2-MOA with handloads. Master Sporters also feature the fine m595 action, and they are blessed with a very good stock design for shooting prone from bipod–just what you need for F-TR. Tikka notes the factory trigger adjusts to 2 pounds, but Mac Tilton of MT Guns can get it down to one pound. The bolt throw is a quick 70°, the bolt handle is stainless, and, in .308, the barrel twist rate is 1:11″ — a good choice for the 155gr match bullets.
These Master Sporters are getting hard to find. It’s even more difficult to find one unfired, new in the box. But just such a specimen, chambered in .308 Winchester, was auctioned this week on Gunbroker.com, item 87063398. It even came with two (2) 5-round magazines. The auction closed at $975.00. We’ve seen them go for less, but also for more.
Skim-bed the action, maybe apply a couple sealer coats to the walnut stock, attach a Harris bipod to the accessory rail and you’re good to go for F-TR. (You’ll also need a scope and rings of course.) You could probably acquire this rifle, shoot it for a couple seasons, then get your full investment out of it. Or hang on to it and eventually add a longer custom barrel (factory tube is a bit short at 23 3/8″).
CLICK to DOWNLOAD TIKKA Master Sporter SPEC SHEET
Share the post "Tikka Turn-Key F-TR platform"
December 10th, 2007
 If you’ve been wondering what to ask Santa for Christmas, and you haven’t found something “just right” from the many print catalogs and online “webstores”, check our AccurateShooter Articles Archive. Last year we prepared an extensive “Holiday Buyers’ Guide”. You’ll find plenty of great items for shooters, from $2.00 up to $3,000+. Just be aware that some prices have changed, and a few of the items have been retired or updated. Here are some of “stocking stuffers” from the 2006 Guide (with current prices):
Surveyors Tape $1.99
(for wind flags) |
Hood Kwik Estimator, $2.50
(to measure group size) |
Sinclair Barrel Bag, $8.50 |
“Shotgunner” Folding Muffs, $14.99 |
With the addition of the Daily Bulletin to the site, we’ve decided to forgo a 2007 edition of the Shoppers’ Guide this year. (We hope to return with a Video Version in 2008.) Instead we’ve been using the Bulletin to announce special holiday sales and promotions as they come up. Don’t forget that Cabela’s is offering FREE Shipping now until December 14th, and both Brownells and Sinclair International are running holiday specials on many popular iteams. Here are two current, recommended Sinclair “Holiday Specials”.
Rubber 3/4″ high BR “Donut” (NEW)
$25.50 Holiday Sale Price
This new product from Tru-Kote fits under Protektor rear bags and eliminates any rocking or sliding motion of the bag. The durable neoprene-rubber Donut adds 3/4 inch of height to the rear bag. This allows many shooters a better head position when shooting from the bench.
Sinclair Cleaning Cradle
$44.85 Holiday Sale Price
For stability, ease of transport, build quality, and “smart” design, nothing really beats a Sinclair aluminum cradle for cleaning wide-forearm BR rifles. These cradles position the rifle in a muzzle-down position so solvents drain to the muzzle end instead of back into the receiver. Sinclair Cradles easily break down into a compact 15″x5″x2″ package for transport or storage.
Share the post "Dear Santa…"
December 9th, 2007
Jason Baney, our 1000-yard editor, has done some pioneering work on Ultrasonic Case Cleaning. In general, ultrasonic cleaning is a “good thing” for accuracy, as it thoroughly cleans the inside of the case, preventing the stubborn build-up of soot and carbon that will eventually affect your internal case volume. However, there is one small “down-side” to ultrasonic cleaning, according to Jason.
Jason found that Ultrasonic cleaning leaves the inside of the case-necks so “squeaky clean” that there is excess friction when seating bullets. On a fired case that has been cleaned conventionally (no ultra-sound), a thin layer of carbon remains to lubricate the bullet entry and exit. To restore that lubricity in cases cleaned with ultrasound, Jason applies a dry lube to the inside of his case necks. Jason prefers the $10.95 moly dry lube kit from Neconos.com. With this kit, small carbon steel balls transfer moly to the neck when you place your brass nose-down in the container.
Share the post "TECH TIP: Dry-Lube for Ultrasonically-Cleaned Case Necks"
December 8th, 2007
Now through 12/31, MidwayUSA has the Rock BR Competition Rifle Front Shooting Rest on sale for $139.99, marked down from $169.99 (item 348661). By now you’ve certainly see a few of these units at a range. They are far from the ultimate front rest system, but they do a surprisingly good job. The unit weighs 15.5 lbs and has a 15″ footprint, so it is plenty stable. Be aware that the front 3-lobe bag is rather thin, and, when adjusting windage, the head rotates rather than tracks straight from side to side. Some folks buy the rest and later upgrade the top with a Hoehn, Sinclair, or ShadeTree Engineering unit. But you should read the User Reviews. Most purchasers are quite happy with the unit “as is”. It’s a very good value for the money and much better than many rests you see at informal club-level matches.
If you plan to replace the top, you can also just buy the Rock BR 1000 base for $70.99 (item 532194), a great value. The BR 1000 base is very heavy, with an 18″ footproot, so it is stable and sturdy. NOTE: the rest has a 1 3/8″ diameter ram hole, while most custom rest tops have a 1″-diameter ram shaft. Accordingly, you may have to sleeve the base, OR fit a fatter ram to the rest top that you purchase. Butch Lambert of ShadeTree Engineering has done a few of these conversions, using the Rock base with his JoyStick top, and the combined system works quite well.
Share the post "Rock BR Competition Front Rest on Sale"
December 8th, 2007
We reported last week that Midsouth Shooters Supply is offering flat-rate shipping through the end of the year, on orders up to 50 lbs. total. Now Cabela’s has announced FREE SHIPPING through December 14th. With a $100 minimum purchase, Cabela’s offers FREE Shipping, for domestic destinations.
Cabela’s says “Offer Valid on All Items”, however, we called Cabela’s and we were told some “oversize” and “heavy items” might be excluded–so you should ask about the particular items you order. The promo is set to expire 12/14/2007. It might be extended. To be safe, however, get your order in before the 15th. If you’ve been asking Santa for some heavy or bulky items, here’s your opportunity to save big on shipping costs.
CLICK this LINK:
Share the post "Cabela's Offers FREE Shipping Through 12/14"
December 7th, 2007
Sinclair Int’l now carries the Bullet Test Tube. This unique bullet-testing system uses cardboard tubes filled with a reusable plastic-like test medium. Field & Stream named the Bullet Test Tube a “Best of the Best” product in 2006. According to Sinclair, this system is the only bullet-testing medium that lets you measure wound cavity in detail including volume. To reuse the testing medium, simply melt the expansion material in a standard 1.5 gallon crock-pot and pour it into a replacement target mold.
If you wish to capture the bullet after it passes through the test medium, add the Xtender accessory which slips on the end. This allows hunters to examine bullet integrity as well as wound cavity. Sinclair Int’l prices the Bullet Test Tube at $61.25, while the Xtender is an additional $57.60.
For more information, read this Test Tube FAQ, or Click the screenshot below to watch a QuickTime Video that demonstrates the whole process.
Share the post "Bullet Test Tube for Hunters"
December 7th, 2007
 Some 220 competitors from across the country participated in the Third Annual Fort Benning Three-Gun Challenge. Held at Krilling Range from Nov. 30th through Dec. 2nd, this three-gun tactical match was hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit and supervised by the USAMU Action Shooting Team. The event was a major success, drawing many action shooting champions, with TV crews on hand to record the action. In the event, competitors used self-loading rifles (mostly AR types), semi-auto handguns, and shotguns. Most of the shotguns were self-loaders, using extended tubular magazines.
David Neth won the event, followed by Barry Dueck in second place and Kelly Neal in third. Neth, as well as two-thirds of the shooters, competed in “Tac Optics” division. There were 10 “Tac Irons” shooters, 33 in “Open Class” (including legendary Jerry Miculek), 15 in “Heavy Metal” (bigger calibers), and 7 in “Trooper” class. These classes correspond (for the most part) to the 3-gun categories under the International Multi-Gun Association (IMGA) 3-Gun Rules. These are similar in many respects to USPSA multi-gun rules. For more info, see 3GunRules.com.
Three-gun competition is a relatively new development in the shooting sports. High on the “fun factor”, the sport has been growing rapidly. It combines the speed and target diversity of cowboy action shooting with the appeal of using modern magazine-fed firearms and shooter-friendly rifle optics. Three-gun matches also reward shooter fitness as most stages are “run and gun” involving movement from one shooting position to another. To succeed at three-gun, a shooter must be both fast and accurate. All stages are timed, and points are lost for every miss. Some stages can be accomplished without reloads, but other stages require reloads on the clock.
CLICK HERE to WATCH VIDEO
If there is one area where we think three-gunners will improve in the future, it is reloading. Stage times will fall as the competitors evolve more fluid reloads with less wasted motion, particularly with shotguns. Shown above is a video of Chris Tilley winning the “Patrol Boat” shotgun stage of this year’s Fort Benning event. Watch the video carefully. Right after the boat starts moving, you will see Chris do a multi-round tubular magazine reload. He stokes his scatter-gun in less than two seconds.
Many VIPs were in attendence, including NRA President John C. Sigler, Fort Benning Dep. Commanding General Col. Lloyd Miles, and Fort Benning Chief of Staff Col. David Ling. Three broadcast video teams covered the match: American Rifleman TV (Outdoor Channel), ShootingUSA TV (Outdoor Channel), and Extreme Marksman (History Channel). Action Shooting is the fastest growing sport in America,” said USAMU Commander Lt. Col. Frank Muggeo. “Starting next year, Fort Campbell, KY., and Fort Bragg, NC, will also hold these types of events.”
Share the post "Fort Benning 3-Gun Match Draws Hundreds of Shooters"
|
