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December 6th, 2007
Now that PACT offers an infrared Skyscreen option with its chronographs, we think the PACT is worthy of serious consideration. And now PACT is selling the PACT Professional XP chronograph (with IR kit) for $229.95, as a “Christmas Special”. That’s $40 off normal pricing and PACT throws in a FREE tripod to sweeten the deal.
Compared to other chronographs, the XP with infrared offers some very nice features:
Built-in Printer. (Every chrono should have one.)
PC interface lets you upload data to your computer. (Serial cable standard, but you can easily buy a serial to USB for use with laptops.)
Built-in ballistic computer. (The chrono has a bullet BC database and uses the BC, with your velocity data, to compute windage and elevation. Cool eh?)
With Infrared screen option, the PACT can be used indoors and is far less sensitive to tricky outdoor lighting.
Chron display unit has a nice big read-out with easy-to-use controls.
 We’ve heard many good things about the competitive CED chronograph with Infrared Screens. The CED also offers a computer interface, and the CED control unit is more compact than the PACT’s control center/printer. But we really like the printing capability of the PACT, and its built-in ballistic program (with bullet database) comes in very handy. Once you have your velocity and zero at 100 yards, the PACT will calculate your come-ups for other yardages. It can even give you windage corrections. With the PACT, once you know your muzzle velocity, you can immediately start shooting at all ranges–you don’t need to drive home to work out your come-ups on the PC, or carry around a PDA with Exbal installed.
In addition to the Pro XP chrono with IR Kit, PACT is now selling Pro XP with standard (visible light) emitters, for $199.95 as part of the “Christmas Special.” This $199.95 price also includes a free tripod. We definitely recommend spending the extra 30 bucks for infrared capability–it’s well worth it.
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December 5th, 2007
This week, ShootingUSA covers the Masters pistol championship at PASA park in Illinois. This unique multi-discipline handgun event combines Olympic 22LR Pistol, Handgun Silhouette, and Action Pistol. Mastering all three disciplines is very tough–in 22 years, no one has shot the match clean, scoring all the targets.
 The first event is offhand (non-supported) 25m and 50m precision shooting with Olympic rimfire pistols. There are 45 total targets, and the bulleyes are small and challenging. Next, in the long-range Silhouette stage, competitors use rifle-class caftridges (such as 6.5 BR) to knock down 45 steel plates placed from 75 yards to 200 yards. While the closer targets must be shot from a standing position, competitors normally use the lay-down “Creedmoor position” for the longer targets.
The third and final event involves speed-shooting at banks of steel plates — an exciting event to watch. Each shooter fires three times at three different sets of plates. Fastest total time wins the event.
This promises to be an informative ShootingUSA episode highlighting three different competitive handgun disciplines. ShootingUSA airs Wednesday nights on the Outdoor Channel: 8:30 PM and 12:30 AM Eastern; 7:30 PM and 11:30 PM Central; 6:30 PM and 10:30 PM Mountain; and 5:30 PM and 9:30 PM Pacific time.
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December 4th, 2007
The folks at Beretta USA just notified us that Beretta has quantities of SAKO-brand 6PPC cartridge brass in inventory. This stuff has been hard to find. At $19.95 for 20 pieces (item #P1161000C), Beretta’s SAKO PPC brass is expensive. But there are folks out there who’ve been looking for the stuff, because it gives you PPC cases without fire-forming from 220 Russian Brass, or neck-turning. These cases are correctly sized for SAKO 6PPC USA chambers with no-turn necks.
CLICK HERE for SAKO 6PPC BRASS from BERETTA
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December 4th, 2007
 Savage Arms, a long-time supporter of Hunter Education and the Hunter and Shooting Sports Education Journal, is now offering discounts for Hunter Education instructors for 2008 on all of its products. Brian Herrick of Savage comments, “Savage is very appreciative of the important role the Hunter Education Instructors play in educating the beginning hunters. We know the instructors donate many hours of their personal time to make it possible for so many people to learn how to safely hunt. We would like to show our appreciation by offering discounts on all of our products.”
Interested certified instructors can go to the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) website for details on the new Savage program. CLICK HERE for the IHEA Special Offers page, then you’ll need to log in using your password.
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December 3rd, 2007
Starting in spring 2008, Hodgdon Powder Co. will start shipping two new powders suitable for target and hunting calibers. Hybrid 100V is designed to combine the even burn qualities of an extruded (stick) powder, with much smoother metering in a powder measure, due to its advanced kernel design. Supreme 780 is the identical ball powder loaded in Winchester’s factory Supreme® ammunition including 243 Win, 270 Win, and 300 Win Magnum.
 
Hybrid 100V is big news for shooters on this board, many of whom use H4350 in their 6.5-284s and medium sized 6mms such as the 6XC and 6-6.5×47. We talked to Chris Hodgdon Friday and he confirms that Hybrid 100V offers excellent velocity and accuracy, with a burn rate similar to H4350. We told Chris that H4350 is hard to beat for accuracy in many match calibers and it offers extremely low ES and SD. “Can Hybrid 100V really rival H4350’s performance?” we asked.
Chris paused, then said with obvious pride: “We’ve done a LOT of testing and this stuff is really good. Velocity is excellent, accuracy is excellent, and the new powder matches up well against anything on the market, including our own H4350″. Chris continued, “the really great thing about the powder is that the new kernel shape allows it to meter much better in powder measures. This is because the edges or ends are rounded. I think reloaders will be very happy with the Hybrid. It’s a state-of-the art kernel design, and it’s made in America, by St. Marks.” One could tell from Chris’s tone that he really believes Hybrid 100V will be a winner.
Hodgdon’s official press release states: “HYBRID 100V marries two technologies: the chemistry of a Spherical powder with the geometry of an Extruded propellant. [It is] ideal for use in calibers that fit H4350, [delivering] velocities not seen before in a variety of popular cartridges, such as 3,310 fps for a 150-grain bullet in the 300 Weatherby Magnum. Hybrid 100V’s unique small grain, part Spherical, part Extruded shape benefits the handloader in two ways — the powder flows accurately and easily through a measure, and charge weights are consistent for ideal load density.”
Winchester Supreme 780, a ball powder, is designed for those wanting an easy-metering propellant that emulates popular factory loads. Tim Vaitekunas, Hodgdon’s director of R&D, notes that “Supreme 780 allows the handloader to duplicate Winchester Supreme factory loads.”
Load Data Already Online
Though Hybrid 100V and Supreme 780 are brand new, Hodgdon’s engineers have already posted some load data for both powders on the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center. Hodgdon has initial Hybrid 100V loads for 18 cartridge designs so far. Here are samples:
Cartridge + Starting Loads with Hybrid 100V
22-250: 55gr SP | 2.35″ COL | 36.0gr | 3254 fps | 43,500 psi
243 Win: 100gr BTSP|2.65″ COL|40.0gr|2868 fps|45,400 cup
7 WSM: 160gr SP | 2.85″ COL| 57.0gr | 2716 fps | 49,400 psi
You’ll also find data for the new Supreme 780, covering 14 different cartridges and 35 different recipes. For more info, contact Hodgdon Powder at (913) 362-9455.
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December 3rd, 2007
Here’s an item for you cartridge collectors and history buffs out there. Winchester® Ammunition plans to release a Theodore Roosevelt commemorative line of ammunition. This celebrates 150 years of Roosevelt’s influence as a political leader, avid outdoorsman and hunter, and champion of wildlife conservation.
The Theodore Roosevelt cartridges feature a nickel-plated shell casing bearing a special Roosevelt head-stamp in three calibers: 30-30 Win, 45 Colt, and Roosevelt’s favorite big-bore lever-gun round, the 405 Winchester. The most powerful cartridge ever chambered in a lever gun, the 405 was used extensively by Roosevelt during his 1909-1910 African safari.
Roosevelt, along with his son Kermit, spent nine months on safari in Africa, and his adventures were widely reported by the U.S. press. After that safari, Roosevelt will forever be associated with the Winchester Model 1895 lever gun. Roosevelt brought four 1895s to Africa, one in .30-40 and three in 405 Winchester. For dangerous game, the .405 was Teddy’s cartridge of choice. Famously, Roosevelt called his 405 Winchester lever gun “Big Medicine”. Teddy’s “Big Medicine” helped make the Model 1895 rifle legendary.
The Theodore Roosevelt line of cartridges features:
– Nickel-plated shell casing bearing a Roosevelt head-stamp
– 30-30 Win with 150-gr Power-Points in 20-round box
– 405 with 300-gr jacketed flat point bullets in 20 round box
– 45 Colt with 250-gr flat nose lead bullet in 50-count box
All Theodore Roosevelt cartridges are packaged in collectible, foil-embossed boxes, each emblazoned with vintage Winchester artwork and photography.
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December 2nd, 2007
Over 200 rifle and pistol airgun shooters from the United States as well as Canada, Czech Republic, France, and Puerto Rico competed at the U.S. Olympic Shooting Center in Colorado Springs, CO at the 2007 USA Shooting 3XAir Match. The 3-day event served as a qualifier for the Bavarian Airgun Match, to be held in January.
Americans with Olympic experience performed well in the first two days of competition. Olympic gold medalist Matt Emmons won the Men’s Air Rifle title for the second day in a row, finishing the competition with a total score of 703.1. (On Day 1, Matt shot a perfect 600 score, tying a national record set by Matt Rawlings.) Rawlings competed in the 3XAir Rifle match as well, and finished second with 697.2. Two-time Olympian Jason Parker, a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), finished third with 697.0.
Jason Turner, a 2004 USA Olympian, took first place for Men’s Air Pistol with a score of 679.0. Two-time Olympian and USAMU shooter Daryl Szarenski took second with 675.3.
In other results, Katy Emmons of the Czech Republic captured first place in Women’s Air Rifle for the second day in a row after shooting a perfect score of 400, then firing a 103.3 in the finals for a total of 503.3. Emily Caruso, a 2004 USA Olympian, took second place with 500.1.
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December 2nd, 2007
Handy 12-piece Jag Set
If you shoot multiple calibers, you’ll love MidwayUSA’s matched jag set in fitted flip-top box, item #812503. It’s now on sale for just $14.99, marked down from $22.99. The kit includes 17, 22, 243/6mm, 25, 270/7mm, 30/32, 8mm/338, 35/9mm, 375, 40/416, 44, and 45 Caliber Jags, in a sturdy box with fitted holes for each jag.
We’ve long been fans of the Tipton jag kit, and now it’s even better–with nickel-plated brass jags. This editor owns two Tipton jag kits, one for the range kit and one for the loading room. The set works for everything from my 17HM2 up to my 45/70. I use the jags for both rifle and pistol calibers. Another nice feature is that you can easily switch from a tight-fitting jag to the next smaller size (I normally apply wet patches in my 6BR using the Tipton 22-caliber jags).
Coating the spire-tip jags with nickel was smart idea. Nickel-coated jags do not react to bore solvents so you won’t get a false reading when cleaning the copper out of your barrel. “Two Thumbs Up” for this kit. Here is what jag kit owners have to say:
“Works as advertised, great idea that should have been thought of years ago. If you like this shape of jag (I do), you’ll love these. Sweets doesn’t tear these up at all, and it’s easier to tell when I’ve got things clean with Butch’s as well.” — Keith S., CA
“Great product, costs considerably less than to buy each piece separately and come with a storage box with holes marked for each jag.” — Greg D., MA
“In 45 years of gun cleaning I have never used a better jag. Precision craftsmanship, unaffected by copper solvents, large patch holding area for lots of patch contact with the bore.” — Brian S., MN
Bargain-Priced Digital Calipers
Midway’s Frankford Arsenal Digital Calipers, item #604242, are on sale again for $19.99, marked down from $32.99. This is a decent, functional set of calipers. Even if you already have calipers, at this price, you can afford to buy a spare for your range kit. This unit switches from English to Metric and comes in a protective plastic case, with battery. Makes a great stocking stuffer.
All stated sale prices are good through December 31, 2007 at MidwayUSA.
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December 2nd, 2007
Some of our Forum readers, including folks in Australia, have had trouble sourcing the new Timney “Tactical” trigger. A nice product that adjusts from 4 to 10 ounces pull weight, this features a knurled Anschütz-style vertical trigger shoe that can adjust for angle (cant) and length of pull. The Timney Tactical trigger works with actions that employ a Remington-style trigger (slight fitting may be required).
Well guys, don’t fret, the Timney Tactical Trigger is in stock at MidwayUSA, priced at $104.99 (item #769137). You can also purchase it directly from TimneyTriggers.com for $134.95 (item #501T for Rem 700).
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December 1st, 2007
There is a new source for firearms-related videos on the internet, GunTalk.TV. Created by Tom Gresham, the host of the nationally-syndicated “Gun Talk” radio show, GunTalk.TV offers a wide variety of videos that cover gun-handling, self-defense, and the shooting sports. On the competition side, there is a heavy emphasis on handgun comps and shotgunning.
GunTalk.TV offers many free videos (but you have to submit your email address), plus a “premium” fee-based archive of longer and more sophisticated clips. Gresham has assembled a team of talented shooters as on-screen co-hosts. Clint Smith, President and Director of Thunder Ranch®, assists with many of the rifle and pistol videos, while Sporting Clays ace Bryan E. Bilinski consults on shotgunning episodes.
GunTalk.TV does intend to cover F-Class and long-range benchrest shooting at some point. In fact, Gresham’s staff contacted yours truly seeking information on those sports and asking for contact info on top shooters. Hopefully GunTalk.TV will follow our suggestions.
We’ve reviewed quite a few of the videos in the Free archive. In general we weren’t very impressed. The free segments we watched were simplistic, useful info was minimal, and the “facts” as stated were sometimes wrong. In the lever action segment, Gresham opines that the original lever-action rifle was a Spencer. Sorry, Tom, the Henry pre-dated the Spencer.
In the video on Eye and Ear Protection, Gresham babbles on, offering platitudes such as “Guns make noise… Guns are loud.” Gresham does not explain noise-reduction ratings. Likewise he doesn’t explain ANSI impact ratings for eyewear. (He should have told viewers not to spend a penny on shooting glasses that are not ANSI Z87.1-certified). The video was poorly researched, and the host drones on for nearly four minutes. We need more facts and less “good-old-boy” talk from Tom. The 3:39 minute GunTalk.TV video on gun cleaning was also disappointing. Coached by a representative from Brownells, Tom did advocate the use of a one-piece cleaning rod, but no mention was made of a cleaning rod guide. Tom did not address solvent dwell-time or safety issues, and nothing was said about the usefulness of foam bore cleaners. In short, the video had too much superficial jawing and too little useful information.
In GunTalk.TV’s video on Rifle Cartridges, Gresham makes statements that will have Fire Marshals, ATF bureaucrats, and powder manufacturers calling for his head. Gresham states that, unlike black powder, “modern smokeless gunpowder is NOT an explosive. It won’t blow up.” He then picks up a 1-lb bottle of smokeless powder and says: “Now it’ll burn, but it will not blow up. You could throw this can into a fire, and it’ll catch fire, but it’s not going to blow up for you, OK?”. Those are direct quotes. Smokeless powder is not an explosive? When confined it sure as heck is. But Gresham omits that key safety point.
It’s true that, when completely unconfined, smokeless powder will normally just burn. But still you don’t want to suggest that people could safely toss a full powder can into a fire. That’s no way to promote safety, Tom. The ATF defines smokeless powder as a “low-order explosive.” And here is what an FBI “White Paper” has to say about smokeless powders:
“Smokeless powder is attractive for use in improvised explosive devices, because it is readily available and has the potential for a powerful explosion when the powder is placed in a closed container (National Research Council 1998).”
“These [smokeless] powders decompose at rates up to 1,000 meters per second and produce a propelling action that makes them suitable for use in ammunition. However, the slower burning rate of smokeless powder should not be underestimated. The explosive power of smokeless powder is extremely dangerous when confined to a small container. In addition, certain smokeless powders with a high-nitroglycerine concentration can be induced to detonate.” Source: Prof. Bruce R. McCord, Dept. of Chemistry, Ohio Univ., FBI Forensic Science Communications, IV:2 (April 2002), http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/april2002/mccord.htm.
Gresham was obviously just talking “off the cuff”. But his statements are not just misinformed, they are potentially dangerous. From this example (and other lesser mistakes), we conclude that GunTalk.TV better bring in more competent technical advisers in a hurry.
It’s good to see more coverage of the shooting sports on the web. However GunTalk.TV needs to build a better product if the show is to “catch on” with serious shooters.
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December 1st, 2007
Are you headed to the southern hemisphere for a winter hunt? Or perhaps you’re planning a cross-country airline trip with your precious match rifles? Remington has a helpful article on Airline Travel with tips on how to safeguard your guns while complying with airline flight regulations. The well-researched article contains specific recommendations for firearms, ammunition, bows and arrows, hunting knives, chemical repellents, and even fishing tackle.
CLICK HERE to READ ARTICLE
The article links to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) web site, an excellent general travel info source. The TSA maintains a regularly-updated list of Permitted and Prohibited Items. You should definitely consult this list before heading to the airport. Of course, you should also check with your particular air carrier — each airline has its own specific baggage handling regulations. You’ll find links to the major domestic airlines in the article.
Photo: “Tuffpak” gun case from Hunters Headquarters.
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