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June 15th, 2008
This is the first Father’s Day this Editor has spent without a father to share it with. My dad passed last August. That’s made me ponder the meaning of this day, and how important it is to share time with your father when you can. Life is short.
So, use your time wisely. Turn off this computer, and go be with your father today. Do something with him that makes him smile. Maybe go to a ball game, or go to the range together. If he lives far from you, give him a call and let him know how important he is to your life. Remind him of the old adage: “Good fathers make good sons”.
Some Thoughts on Fatherhood –
MY Father…
He was there when I didn’t understand, he was there when I was wrong, he was there when I cried, he was there when I lied. For some reason my dad was always there, when I needed him the most. His love was never ending. And now that he’s gone there is an emptiness in my world, but not in my heart. — Michael Jordan
My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass”! “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply, “We’re raising boys”. — Harmon Killebrew.
When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. — Mark Twain
Photo courtesy Free-Holiday-Ideas.com
June 15th, 2008
“Holy ****, you’ve got to be kidding me…”, was this editor’s reaction when confronted with the $5.09 per gallon price of regular gasoline in California today. Gas prices in the Golden State have climbed from $4.29 to over $5.00 per gallon in the last two weeks — and fuel costs are expected to continue to rise throughout the summer.
Gas Prices Impact Shooting Matches
At many West Coast gun clubs, match attendance is down in recent months, primarily as a results of high gas prices. Now more than ever, it makes sense to car-pool with one or two other shooters when going to a match. Sharing with just one other shooter cuts your gas outlay in half.
Downsizing Your Wheels — Cost/Benefit Analysis
Most of the shooters we know drive trucks to the range — big, gaz-guzzling trucks. With the price of gas topping $5.00, it may be time to consider a shift to a more economical vehicle–at least for daily commuting and longer drives. Below is a chart showing the annual cost of gasoline, based on different fuel economy ratings (MPG). If you drive 15,000 miles a year, a 30-MPG vehicle will save you $2857.00 annually compared to a 14-MPG vehicle. Compound that savings for three or four years, and you’ve recouped much of the cost of a used econobox.
Annual Fuel Cost at $5.00 per Gallon
Based on Vehicle Miles Per Gallon |
Miles
Yearly |
30 MPG |
26 MPG |
22 MPG |
18 MPG |
14 MPG |
| 10,000 |
$1667 |
$1923 |
$2273 |
$2778 |
$3571 |
| 12,000 |
$2000 |
$2308 |
$2727 |
$3333 |
$4286 |
| 15,000 |
$2500 |
$2885 |
$3409 |
$4167 |
$5357 |
June 14th, 2008
Tomorrow is Father’s Day. For all the dads out there, here’s a selection of cool tools and handy shooting accessories — all priced at fifty dollars or less. If you’re doing some last-minute shopping for the family patriarch, or just rewarding yourself for being a good dad, you’ll enjoy the bargains below. Many of the items are special sale priced for a limited period of time, so jump on these bargains while you can.
Cabela’s.com
Cabela’s Gun Vise, $29.99
This handy polymer Cabela’s Gun Vise, item 1AJ-227687, is on a special sale, marked down from $44.99 to just $29.99. The unit holds your rifle securely and contains compartments for solvents and cleaning tools. We’ve used similar units and they work well. The polymer material is impervious to most solvents and the light weight of the gun vise makes it easy to move around a loading room or bench. It’s light enough to easily lift to a high shelf for storage when not in use.
Sinclair International
Motorola FV700 Talkabout Two-Way Radio Set, $49.99
Compact, rugged, and easy to use, the Motorola FV700 walkie-talkie set is ideal for long-range shooting matches. With a range of 12 miles, the FV700 delivers reliable communications between the firing line and workers in the pits at 1000 yards and beyond. Employing both FRS and GMRS frequencies, the FV700 offers 22 talk channels, plus 11 NOAA weather channels. The units run on common AAA batteries or included NiMH battery packs. Priced at just $49.99, each set includes two radios, 2 belt clips, a charging adapter, and dual charging cradle.
Grafs.com
MTM Mini Digital Reloading Scale, $29.99
This light-weight, ultra-compact reloading scale is ideal for use at the range, and as a back-up for a larger digital or balance-beam scale. With output in both grams and grains, the MTM Mini offers resolution to ± one-tenth of a grain. Max capacity is 1200 grains–more than enough to weight 50-caliber bullets and cartridge cases. This unit has an easy-to-read backlit LCD display. To save battery power, there’s an auto shut-off after three minutes.
Midsouth Shooters Supply
ThermaCELL Insect Repellent System, $17.51
Nothing’s more annoying than mosquitos or black flies buzzing around your head. You can use creams or sprays to prevent bites, but the buzzing can still drive you nuts. Solution? ThermaCELL. The ThermaCELL portable “bug-buster” creates a 15′ by 15′ zone of protection around you that repels up to 98% of mosquitoes, black flies, and no-see-ums. Trust us, ThermaCELLs really work. We wouldn’t go camping without one. One fill lasts for about 12 hours. If you’re skeptical, READ these REVIEWS. Now through the end of June, ThermaCELLs are on sale at Midsouth for just $17.51.
Big River Tactical
Howard Leight Electronic Ear Muffs, $49.99
We’ve featured the Leight Impact Sport electronic ear muffs on the Bulletin before because they are a great product at an unbeatable price. Light weight with a slim profile, they don’t interfere with your cheek weld when shooting rifles or shotguns. One Forum member bought a pair recently and told us: “You guys were right, these are great. They work as well as units costing 4 times as much.” The Leight muffs help you hear range commands while diminishing rifle noise (sounds exceding 82db are attenuted). Note, the Leight Muffs have a 22 NRR (noise reduction rating). For enhanced ear protection we suggest using the muffs over a set of foam ear plugs.
MidwayUSA
Lyman Electronic Digital Trigger Pull Gauge, $44.99
Every serious shooter needs an accurate, repeatable trigger pull gauge, and the Lyman digital unit is the best available, plain and simple. The Lyman Gauge is on sale this month at MidwayUSA for $44.99, marked down from $48.99. The Lyman Gauge uses strain-gauge technology to read ± 0.1 ounce with a range of 0 to 12 pounds. The controls are easy to use, and we like the built-in Averaging function. Note: 9 volt battery must purchased separately.
Sears.com
Craftsman Wet-Dry Vac, $14.99 (Half-Price Sale)
If you have a home workshop, once you get a portable wet-dry vacuum you’ll wonder how you ever did without it. This editor has a similar unit that’s used almost on a daily basis. The Craftsman Clean N Carry model has a 1.5 hp motor providing ample cleaning power. Right now, through 6/15/2008, you can buy it for HALF PRICE. The machine costs just $14.99 at Sears, marked down from $29.99. That’s a steal. Hurry though, this is a special Father’s Day deal.
Craftsman Clean N Carry® 2 gal. Wet-Dry Vac
Sears item# 00917713000, Mfr. model# 17713
June 14th, 2008
Farley Manufacturing, makers of the Coax II Front Rests and Farley actions, has asked owners to return bolts for inspection. There have been issues regarding bolt lug integrity that Farley wishes to resolve. This applies to all Farley actions except the current Black Widow actions. Farley has issued the following statement:
“To our customers and anyone who may own a Farley Action. We need to inspect your bolt. Most of these actions have been in service for 6-12 years. However, regardless of age or use we need to inspect the bolt.
If your Action is currently in use please send us the bolt as soon as possible. If it is not in use please call us to schedule it in. Black Widow Actions are not included. We understand that this is very inconvenient. We will try to turn them around to you in 7-10 days.
This is an important safety issue and we are depending on your help. Please send bolt(s) via UPS and we will reimburse shipping. If you would like a pre-paid mailer please contact us via email or phone and include serial # of Action along with your name, address and phone number.
Thank you,
Jim Farley Jr.
President, Farley Mfg.”
Farleymfg.com
farleymfg@yahoo.com
Phone: (405) 732-7852
June 13th, 2008
Put the same load in a variety of barrels (with the same length and chamberings) and you’ll see a wide variance in muzzle velocity. In fact, it’s not unusual to see up to 100 fps difference from one barrel to the next. We demonstrated this with a comparison test of Lapua factory ammo.
Chron Testing Lapua Factory Ammo
We recently chronographed Lapua 105gr 6mmBR factory ammo in three different 8-twist barrels of similar length. The results were fascinating. Lapua specs this ammo at 2790 fps, based on Lapua’s testing with its own 26″ test barrel. We observed a speed variance of 67 fps based on tests with three aftermarket barrels.
Brand ‘S’ and Brand ‘PN’ were pre-fit barrels shot on Savage actions. Brand ‘K’ was fitted to a custom action. All test barrels were throated for the 100-108 grain bullets, though there may have been some slight variances in barrel freebore. With a COAL of 2.330″, the rounds were “jumping” to the rifling in all barrels. Among the four barrels, Brand ‘PN’ was the fastest at 2824 fps average — 67 fps faster than the slowest barrel. Roughly 10 fps can be attributed to the slightly longer length (27″ vs. 26″), but otherwise this particular barrel was simply faster than the rest.
Results Are Barrel-Specific, Not Brand-Specific
These tests demonstrate that the exact same load can perform very differently in different barrels. We aren’t publishing the barrel-makers’ names, because it would be wrong to assume that ‘Brand X’ is always going to be faster than ‘Brand Y’ based on test results from a single barrel. In fact, velocities can vary up to 100 fps with two identical-spec barrels from the SAME manufacturer. That’s right, you can have two 8-twist, 26″ barrels, with the same land-groove configuration and contour, from the same manufacturer, and one can be much faster than another.
Don’t Demand More Than Your Barrel Can Deliver
We often hear guys lament, “I don’t get it… how can you guys get 2900 fps with your 6BRs and I can only get 2840?” The answer may simply be that the barrel is slower than average. If you have a slow barrel, you can try using more powder, but there is a good chance it may never run as fast as an inherently fast barrel. You shouldn’t knock yourself out (and over-stress your brass) trying to duplicate the velocities someone else may be getting. You need to work within the limits of your barrel.
 Factory Ammo Provides a Benchmark
If you have a .223 Rem, 6BR, .243 Win, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5×55, .308 Win, 30-06, or 300 WM Rifle, we recommend you buy a box of Lapua factory-loaded ammo. This stuff will shoot great (typically around half-MOA), and it can give you a baseline to determine how your barrel stacks up speedwise. When you complete a new 6BR rifle, it’s wise to get a box of the factory ammo and chronograph it. That will immediately give you a good idea whether you have a slow, average, or fast barrel. Then you can set your velocity goals accordingly. For example, if the factory 6BR ammo runs about 2780-2790 fps in your gun, it has an average barrel. If it runs 2820+ in a 26″ barrel (or 2835 fps in a 28″), you’ve got a fast tube.
June 13th, 2008
Erik Stecker of Berger Bullets confirmed that his company will be producing a new, high-BC 20-Caliber bullet this fall. The new bullet features a conventional, non-VLD tangent-ogive design for greater seating flexibility and, hopefully, increased precision. The new bullet should be the highest-BC bullet available to 20-Cal shooters from a major bullet-maker. Although production dies aren’t ready yet, Berger has set a 0.400 Ballistic Coefficient design goal for the bullet. That would be a significant step up from Berger’s current 50gr, 20-caliber bullet, which has a published BC of 0.295.
We expect the new 55-grainer to require an 1:8″ or faster twist barrel, but the exact twist required will depend on the final bullet dimensions when it is put into production. Expected ship date for the new 55gr bullet is “late August to early September”, according to Stecker. With the correct-twist barrel, the new bullet should work well in most popular 20-caliber chamberings, including 20 VarTarg, 20-223, 20 PPC, 20 BR, and .204 Ruger.
June 12th, 2008
High-magnification scopes allow shooters to aim more precisely and to see their targets better at long ranges. Recent years have seen an “optics arms race” in benchrest shooting. It used to be thought that 36-power was plenty for 100- and 200-yard BR matches. Now, top shooters are running 40- or 45-power optics, and some competitors are even using 50X and 60X scopes.
Perils of Too Much Magnification
Extra magnification comes with a price, however. With equal-sized front objective lenses, the view through a 50-power scope will appear darker than the view through a 35-power optic, and the 50X will have a much smaller exit pupil. The exit pupils on some scopes are under 1mm. An exit pupil that tiny makes your head position ultra-critical — move your head very slightly and you’ll lose the circle of light entirely. Small exit pupils are more fatiguing, causing more eye strain. Higher magnification can, in some conditions, also make it more difficult to cope with mirage. Many shooters prefer a zoom scope so they can dial down the magnification when the mirage is extreme.
Advantages of Variable-Power Scopes
So how much magnification do you really need? That comes down to your personal preferences and your budget. Since a good zoom scope, such as the Nightforce BR 12-42×56 or the new Sightron SIII 8-32×56, lets you “back off” your power, there’s really no reason NOT to go with a high-power scope on a target rifle, provided you can make weight.
A Formula for Scope Resolving Ability
From an optics standpoint, how much power do you need to resolve a bullet hole at a given distance? There is a handy online Scope Resolution Calculator that lets you do this. Just type in the bullet diameter and distance, and the calculator will tell you how much magnification you need, at a MINIMUM, to resolve that particular size bullet hole. This calculator assumes perfect viewing conditions and the highest grade lenses. In reality, as viewing conditions get bad, all bets are off. A bullet hole that could be resolved at 30-power in perfect viewing conditions, might not be resolved even at 80-power when conditions are bad. Nonetheless, it’s fun to play with the calculator, created by Twin City Rod & Gun:
CLICK HERE for Bullet Hole Resolution Calculator
June 12th, 2008
 Readers often ask for a good, authoritative resource on doping the wind and reading mirage. Many Forum members recommended M.Sgt. Jim Owens’ Wind-Reading guide. This is now offered on CD, with 22 sets of wind charts. Owens’ Reading the Wind and Coaching Techniques clearly explains how to gauge wind speeds and angles. Owens, a well-known High Power coach (and creator of Jarheadtop.com), offers a simple system for coming up with wind value based on speed and angle. The CD also explains how to read mirage — a vital skill for long-range shooters. In many situations, reading the mirage may be just as important as watching the wind flags. Owens’ $9.95 CD provides wind-reading strategies that can be applied by coaches as well as individual shooters.
 Shooters’ Log Books
M. Sgt. Owens also offers excellent log books for High Power shooters. The Owens Data Book features an updated design with “amended” grid lines and twin plotting bulls for rapid fire. Much more than just a shot log, Owens’ books offers eight sets of wind charts, a wind speed estimating guide, a “gun round count page”, a scoring system chart, an equipment check list, and a guide for normal come-ups from 100 to 1,000 yards in 100 yard increments. There is also a special Long-Range Data Book with 54 two-sided pages for the 600-yard stage, 54 two-sided pages for the 800/900/1,000 yard target, 14 sets of wind charts, and larger plotting areas. Price for either the standard Owens Data Book, or the Long-Range Data book, is $14.95 plus $1.50 S&H.
June 11th, 2008
While shooting at the Pala Varmint Silhouette Match recently, we had a chance to test drive John Adams’ Pentax PF-80ED Spotting Scope. It’s a great scope, fitted with outstanding lenses. We tried both the 20-60 power zoom and the superb Pentax XW-10 wide angle/extended eye relief lens, which provides a fixed 52X image. The XW-10 is the most user-friendly spotting scope eyepiece I’ve ever tried–ultra-bright, with nearly an inch of eye relief.
One thing that made the Pentax such a pleasure to use was the mounting set-up. John has his PF-80ED set on a sturdy Manfrotto tripod with a special geared tripod head, the Manfrotto model 410. The geared head allows you to make very fine, precise movements in vertical or horizontal planes. You don’t have to unscrew a clamp, fiddle around to re-position the scope, and then struggle to lock it in place again without altering the position. This unique, compact head offers precise gear movement in three directions: pan (horizontal movement left to right), elevation, and angular rotation around TDC (horizon tilt).
The Manfrotto 410 geared head was superb. While spotting at 600 yards, I could easily move up or down a few inches on the target with just a quick twist of a knob. If I wanted to move down the line to a sighter plate, it was just as easy to pan a few feet horizontally, without disturbing my vertical setting at all. I don’t know how Manfrotto does it (the gearing system is patented), but very little effort is required to turn the knobs in any direction, and there is plenty of travel.
If you want to make large adjustments, as when moving your view from a 1000-yard target bay back to the 100-yard line, you can disengage the gear drives and manually move the entire head. The Manfrotto 410 incorporates a unique feature that allows you to instantly disengage the gears and rough position the camera by hand, then instantly reengage them for precise final alignment. The model 410 head supports up to 5 kg (11 pounds), and is also suitable for 35mm SLR and medium format cameras. The head incorporates a quick release camera plate system.
So what does this superior technology cost? The Manfrotto model 410 costs about $210.00 at large camera outlets, but you can sometimes find one for about $180.00 on sale. Is it worth it? If you’re on a very tight budget–spend your money on a barrel first. But, if you have an $800+ scope that’s used quite often, the geared head is worth the investment. Others seem to agree — three other Pala shooters added geared heads to their tripods after trying John Adams’ rig. The gearing makes it much, much easier to move the scope in very small increments while spotting at extreme ranges. But what about resale? These geared heads are also extremely popular with commercial photographers, so they hold their value well.
The Manfrotto 410 was previously sold as a “Bogen-Manfrotto 3275/410″ and you may still find older versions listed that way. Manfrotto also makes two other geared heads, the model 400 ($680.00, 22 lb. rating) and 405 ($385.00, 16 lb. rating), but these are much more expensive, and designed for very heavy cameras.
Pipe and Post Level
To get the best results from any tripod when using a spotting scope (or chronograph), you need to make sure the base for your scope is set level to the horizon. Deluxe heads, such as the Manfrotto geared heads, have built-in bubble levels, which make it easy to level the scope. If you don’t have a level on your tripod, but it has a telescoping center shaft, you can use a simple, inexpensive Pipe and Post Level. These attach with an elastic band around the vertical shaft and provide bubble levels in both horizontal and vertical planes. You can purchase these levels for under $5.00 at hardware stores and home supply outlets.
Good, Inexpensive Tripod
If you want for a good, solid tripod that will hold a heavy 80+ mm spotting scope at a bargain price, look for a used Davidson Star-D on eBay, or one of the optics forums.
 The Davidson Star-D tripod is a solid, all-metal rig that is sturdy enough to be used for movie cameras. Star-Ds feature convenient rotary cam (collet) leg height adjustments and all-metal tilt and pan controls that lock solidly. The center post is clamped with a big locking ring that adjusts for tension. The rugged, machined-aluminum Star-D tripods are no longer in production but you can find good “previously-owned” models for sale on eBay. This tripod is ideal for use with a chronograph or spotting scope (for viewing in sitting or standing positions). You’ll see a variety of Star-Ds on eBay. What you want are the newer Star-Ds with all-silver heads and cam-locked legs. You can often pick them up for under $25.00. Look for the latest versions, as shown in the picture.
June 11th, 2008
Right now the March line of scopes represent the “state of the art” in high-magnification Benchrest scopes. They are unexcelled for brightness, sharpness, and perhaps most importantly, shot-to-shot reliability. Many top short-range benchrest shooters, who can’t tolerate even a tiny shift in the scope’s reticle moving the point of impact a few hundreths of an inch, are using the March 40X, 50X, and 60X, and now the new 10-60X Zoom.
CLICK HERE for complete MARCH SPECIFICATIONS
March scopes are made in Japan by DEON. In the USA they are sold exclusively by Kelbly’s. Jim Kelbly reports: “Some 40s and 50s are in stock now. The 10-60X zooms will be in stock in about two months unless the back order list gets longer as it is everyday. If you want a March scope you should not wait till they are in stock. We have a waiting list and you should get on it if you would like one in next two months.”
Current March Scope pricing:
40×52, 50×52, and 60×52 fixed focal length: $2100.00
10-60×52 Zoom: $2400.00
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