Camp Perry National Championships Commence July 8

Yes, it’s July again, and that means it is time for the National Shooting Championships at Camp Perry. The events kick off tomorrow with the start of the 5-day Pistol competition.

The NRA National Outdoor Rifle & Pistol Championships are fired at Camp Perry, OH, during July and August. Firing dates for 2008: Pistol – July 8-12; Smallbore 3-Position – July 16-19; Smallbore Prone – July 20-24; High Power Rifle – Aug 4-8; High Power Long Range – Aug 9-13.

If you wish to compete at Camp Perry in an event held later this summer, you can apply via the Camp Perry Online Entry Page. Complete competition results are updated regularly on the NRA website.

CLICK HERE for Camp Perry Match Results.

There are some key changes at Camp Perry this year:

1. Big money is at stake. Over $200,000 in cash/gift card prizes will be awarded. The cash prizes or Visa award cards replace award points in the Grand Aggregate Championships.

2. A Team Match has been added to the Long-Range High Power segment of competition (August 4-8). Four-person teams will compete using a Palma Course of Fire. This was a popular addition — the Team Match roster is already full.

3. A new target will be used for 3-position shooters in the National Smallbore Rifle Championships.

Matt Emmons Wins Big at Nationals

The 2008 USA Shooting National Championships for Rifle/Pistol came to a close today with Matt Emmons earning his third national title of the competition, taking first place in the Men’s 3-Position Rifle event. Matt won an Olympic Gold Medal in 2004 and will be on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team going to China. Matt is married to Czech Shooter Katerina Kurkova, 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist and 2002 World Champion.

Emmons (Browns Mills, N.J.), finished on top with final of 101.1 and a total score of 2455.1. Earlier in the competition, Emmons also claimed the Men’s Air Rifle and Men’s 3 Position Rifle titles. U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) member and 1996 Olympian Eric Uptagrafft (Spokane, Wash) took second place with a total score of 2437.1 and USAMU member Michael McPhail (Darlington, Wis.) finished in third place with 2435.8. The 2008 USA Shooting National Championships for Rifle and Pistol were held at Ft. Benning’s International Shooting Complex, home of the USAMU.

Photo courtesy USAShooting.org

Alliant Reloder 17 Ships in Late July

Alliant Powder, a division of Alliant Tech Systems Inc., (ATK), has confirmed that the new Reloder 17 powder will ship out later this month. This is definite. The powder is going out to distributors within 2 to 3 weeks. Alliant had originally intended to start shipping Reloder 17 by mid-April, but there were some production-line delays relating to packaging. Reloder 17 is made in Switzerland by NitroChemie and Alliant had to make some modifications to its production line to be compatible with NitroChemie’s bulk powder containers.

We are very excited about the new Swiss-made Reloder 17 for Alliant. It is a high-energy powder with a burn rate close to IMR 4350, and “midway between Reloder 15 and Reloder 19.” The powder density is optimized for the short magnum cases such as the 7mm WSM and 300 WSM, but it also will work very well with cartridges such as .243 Win, .270 Win, 6XC, and 6mm Remington, according to Alliant Product Manager Dick Quesenberry.

Reloder 17 features an advanced, penetrant-type kernel coating. Alliant believes this is superior to typical surface powder coatings because it provides a more consistent, progressive burn. The powder pressures do not spike as sharply as with surface-coated powders, but remain more consistent throughout the burning process.

Mr. Quesenberry noted that Alliant tested many formulations, from a variety of makers, before choosing the Swiss-made Reloder 17. Alliant’s new RL17 is NOT the same as Norma URP, produced by Bofors in Europe. According to Alliant, the new Reloder 17 tested superior to URP (and most other powders in that burn range) in all major criteria: Velocity, Accuracy, ES/SD, material consistency, and resistance to ambient temperature-induced pressure changes.

The new RL17 will be offered in 1-lb. and 5-lb. containers and will cost about the same as other Alliant Reloder powders, such as RL15 and RL19.

Got Craters? Call Greg Tannel…

Shooters who convert factory actions to run 6BRs or 6PPCs should consider having the firing pin bushed. These small-cased cartridges like to run at high pressures. When running stout loads, you can get cratering caused by primer flow around the firing pin hole in the bolt face. The reason is a little complicated, but basically the larger the hole, the less hydraulic pressure is required to crater the primer. A limited amount of cratering is normally not a big issue, but you can reduce the problem significantly by having a smith fit a bushing in the firing pin hole. In addition to reduced cratering, bushing the firing pin often produces more consistent ignition.

This is a highly recommended procedure that our editors have had done to their own rifles. Greg Tannel (Gre-Tan Rifles) is an expert at this procedure, and his turnaround time is fast–usually 1-3 days (shop time). Current price for a bushing job, which includes turning the firing pin to .062″, is $60 including return shipping. (Price subject to change.)

If you have a factory rifle, a bushed firing pin is the way to go if you are shooting the high-pressure cartridges such as 6PPC, 6BR, and 6.5×47. This is one of the most cost-effective and beneficial upgrades you can do to your factory rifle.

The Minutemen–Citizen Soldiers

On this nation’s Independence Day, we should remember the “shot heard ’round the world”. It is quite possible that there would be no United States of America (in the form we now know it), but for the courage of a small band of ordinary citizens, armed with hunting rifles. The militias of Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts were the first colonists to provide organized, armed opposition to British rule in the Americas. It is their fighting spirit that we celebrate today.

The Battles of Lexington and Concord
Having learned about arms stockpiled in Concord, on April 19, 1775, British General Gage ordered an estimated 700-800 regulars to march to Concord to seize arms, gunpowder, and cannons. (Gage also wanted to arrest John Hancock and Sam Adams, reported to be in Lexington.) Learning of the planned British action, Paul Revere rode to Lexington to alert the militia. Hancock and Adams went into hiding and the Lexington militia (120 or so men) formed up under Captain John Parker. When the British reached Lexington, they arrayed in battle formation on the Lexington Green. Parker told his men: “Stand your ground! Don’t fire unless fired upon! But if they want to have a war, let it begin here!” The British then advanced. A shot was heard, and the British regulars charged and attacked Parker’s force. When the smoke had cleared, the British suffered only one man wounded. However, eight Minutemen died, including Captain Parker’s cousin, Jonus, killed by bayonet.

The British then continued to the Concord arsenal. After securing the roads leading into Concord, the British troops proceeded to destroy powder and weapons. In the process the Concord courthouse was accidentally set on fire. The Minutemen, formed up on the hills outside Concord, saw smoke and thought the British were burning the town. The Concord Minutemen then attacked the British at Concord’s North Bridge. By most reports the Militia fire was much more accurate than the British volleys. Two Redcoat officers were killed, along with many enlisted men. Surprised by this, the British broke ranks and retreated. The Minutemen chased after them and captured the North Bridge. The British then abandoned Concord and marched back to Boston. The Minutemen hounded the Redcoats in retreat, peppering the Brits with sniper fire all the way back into Boston. John Parker lead his Lexington Militia in one ambush of the retreating British, known as “Parker’s Revenge”. Concord/Lexington Battle Map.

Who Were the Minutemen?
As early as 1645 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, some men were selected from the general ranks of town-based “training bands” for rapid deployment. Men so selected were designated as Minutemen. The Minutemen were often 25 years old or younger, and they were chosen for their enthusiasm, political reliability, and strength. They were the first armed militia to arrive or await a battle. Officers, as in the rest of the militia, were elected by popular vote.

Most Colonial militia units were provided neither arms nor uniforms and had to equip themselves. Many simply wore their own farmers’ or workmans’ clothes, while others had buckskin hunting outfits. Some added Indian-style touches to intimidate the enemy, even including war-paint. Most used hunting rifles, which did not have bayonets but were accurate at long range. The rifled musket used by most Minutemen was also well suited to this role. The rifling gave it a much greater range than the smoothbore musket, although it took longer to load. When performing as skirmishers, the Minutemen could fire and fall back behind cover before the British could get into range. There is a popular notion that most Minutemen were “crack shots”. In reality, some (with hunting experience) were fine marksmen, while others were poorly trained. (Source: Wikipedia.org.)

5.56 XM193 for $7.85/box at Midsouth

Here’s a hot deal that will probably sell out quickly. Midsouth Shooters Supply is selling Federal 5.56×45 M193 ball ammo with Lake City headstamp for just $7.85 per 20-rd box. That’s $39.25 per hundred rounds — just about the best deal you can find right now for quality, reloadable domestic 5.56×45 ammo with brass casings.

According to U.S. military specs, M193 Ball ammo delivers a 55gr FMJ boat-tail bullet at 3,250 fps from a 20″ test barrel measured 15 feet from the muzzle. This mil-spec ammo should work well in ARs and most .223 Remington bolt guns. However, you should read our .223 Rem Cartridge Guide to understand the distinctions between .223 Rem SAAMI specs and 5.56×45 Military specs:

.223 Remington vs. 5.56×45
There ARE differences between the .223 Remington as shot in civilian rifles and the 5.56×45 in military use. While the external cartridge dimensions are essentially the same, the .223 Remington is built to SAAMI specs, rated to 50,000 CUP max pressure, and normally has a shorter throat. The 5.56×45 is built to NATO specs, rated to 60,000 CUP max pressure, and has a longer throat, optimized to shoot long bullets. Should you be worried about shooting 5.56×45 milspec ammo in a .223 Remington? The answer really depends on your chamber. 5.56×45 ammo is intended for chambers with longer throats. If you shoot hot 5.56×45 ammo in short-throated SAAMI-spec chambers you can encounter pressure issues. The new long-throated ‘Wylde’ chamber allows safe use of military ammo.

Is It Time to Purchase Large Quantities of Ammo?
Many shooters are stocking up on loaded ammo out of concern with the anticipated results of the next Presidential election. Are they being smart, or paranoid? Given the threat of restrictive new legislation, perhaps it’s not a bad idea to lay in a supply of 5.56×45 before prices go up again. On the other hand, this XM193 is 1.25 MOA ammo at best — so it won’t be useful for match purposes and it’s not particularly well-suited for varminting. We question the logic of stashing away thousands of rounds of ammo that’s not going to be used anytime soon. Still, ammo has proven to be a better investment in recent years than the stock market. As noted above, Midsouth’s price (a July Special) is about as good as it gets, and we expect this Federal XM193 to sell out quickly.

Davis Optical Boosters–More Models, More Options

Last summer we featured the Optical Booster from Gene Davis that magnifies the image viewed with Benchrest scopes. Since then, we’ve received dozens of questions about the product. Gene’s Boosters have proven very popular, and over the past year he’s brought out new models, including a slip-on version that fits most 1″ or 30mm scopes. You can now see all the offerings on Gene’s website, BulzEyePro.com.

Boosters Now Offered for Leupold, March, Nightforce, Sightron, and Weaver
Gene now sells Screw-in Boosters for Leupold Comp Series scopes (made after 2003), March scopes, NightForce BR scopes, Sightron BR scopes, and Weaver T-Series scopes. These screw-in, threaded 3X boosters cost $100.00 including shipping and insurance.

The original Gene Davis Optical Booster #1 is a Zeiss-made lens with threaded ring that simply screws on to your scope behind the eyepiece, using the threads provided for lens caps (consider it an eyepiece extension). This is now offered in a 3X version that boosts the viewed image roughly 30%, with with optimum boost on targets 20 to 200 yards away. Hence, on a 36X scope, Davis’ 3X Optical Booster creates the equivalent of a 46X power scope. Many long-range BR shooters using this product have reported that it does aid precise aiming. However, there is a price for the extra magnification — the reticle will appear slightly larger, and the image will appear somewhat darker. But, according to Gene: “the image darkening is almost imperceptible during prime daylight hours.”

We think Gene’s invention is a winner–a great way to get more magnification at a low cost — $100.00. We also like the fact that, unlike an internal boosting job, you can simply remove the booster if you want to return to the original magnification level. Installing the Optical Booster #1 requires no modification to your scope. However, Gene explains: “You may need to screw in the scope’s eyepiece (ocular lens) a bit to maintain the sharpness of the cross-hairs”.

New Slip-On Models Offer Interchangeable Lenses
For greater versatility, Davis now offers a Slip-On Optical Booster #2 with a rubber housing that fits any scope with an eyepiece diameter of 1.45″-1.75″. This allows you to easily move the Booster from one scope to another. In addition, a variety of lenses can be inserted in the flexible rubber housing. You can switch from a 3X Lens to Gene’s latest lens, the 4X-Multicoat Extreme Long-Range 50-to-Infinity.

Gene is developing other specialized lenses for hunting and long-range Benchrest that you can swap into the Slip-On Booster housing. As Gene explains: “We offer a range of lenses that will change in and out of the same housing that will fit on all of your 1 inch and 30 mm scopes in just a few seconds. Do a 50-yard bench rest shoot with our 3X Ultra Brite Lens in the morning and a 1000-yard bench rest with our 4X Multi-Coat Extreme Long Range Lens in the afternoon. Then, on the way home pop in one of our 2.5X hunting model lenses and put a little fresh meat on the table.”

The Slip-On Booster Model #2 currently costs $95.00 with 3X lens or $125.00 with 4X Long-Range Multi-Coat lens.

Gene reports: “The Optical Boosters do a fantastic job for old or poor eyes. We now have screw-in models to fit Leupold, March, Nightforce, Sightron, and Weaver Scopes. The Boosters require no internal modification and will not alter the factory warranty. To purchase, contact Gene Davis at (740) 503-4486 or visit www.BulzEyePro.com.

Leupold Torx Screw Kit On Sale

Torx Head screws are superior to other fastener designs for attaching scope rings and bases. The patented Torx design can be tightened very firmly with much less chance of stripping. Torx-head screws are available in a variety of sizes and thread pitches to fit your particular rings and the scope base holes tapped in your receiver.

Now through July 31, 2008, MidwayUSA is offering a complete kit of genuine Leupold Torx-head screws with 80 base screws and 70 ring screws for just $30.00. That’s 25% off the regular $39.99 price. Every gunsmith should have this kit, and regular shooters might want to purchase the kit as well. When you’re mounting a new scope base or ring set, it’s great to have exactly the right Torx screw you need. The Leupold Torx screw kit, MidwayUSA item 235284, contains a 50/50 mix of black and silver color screws so you can match them to both black- and silver-finish scopes.

New Dual-Mode Reactive Steel Targets

Kurt Stone of LV Steel Targets has developed a new series of Steel Silhouette targets that offer multiple options for the shooter. The new design features a central, circular “target within a target.” Shown in the photo below, the green center circle (either 7.5″ or 6″ in diameter) will swing back when hit, then reset itself. Kurt also offers silhouettes with a black paddle plate at the top right or left. This can be used to simulate “hostage” scenarios.

We like the model 19C, a 25″ x 15″ silhouette plate with 6″-diameter center circle target. The silhouette plate is large enough to allow you to get zeroed at 500-700 yards, and then you can shoot at the center circle for a more challenging test of accuracy. At 600 yards the center circle (painted green in the photos) is 1 MOA. That’s a nice size that rewards a good shooter (and accurate rifle) at long range. The model 19C ranges in price from $205.00 to $270.00 depending on steel thickness (3/8″ to 5/8″). This same design is offered in model 18C with a 7.5″ center on a 30″ x 18″ steel silhouette.

LV Steel Targets offers a wide variety of other hardened steel targets including spring-loaded silhouettes and “poppers”, plus gongs and swingers of all sizes.

Team USA Olympic Shooters on TV

This week, Shooting USA features the U.S. Shooting Team. These world-class competitors will represent the United States this summer in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Shooting USA will broadcast a full hour covering Team USA shooters, including Gold Medalists Matt Emmons (Smallbore Rifle), and Kim Rhodes (Shotgun). The show will feature ALL the Olympic shooting disciplines, including air pistol, air rifle, smallbore rifle, and trap/skeet.

We highly recommend this episode of Shooting USA. Here are the showtimes on the Outdoor Channel:

Eastern Time 4:30 PM, 8:30 PM + 2:00 AM (Thursday)
Central Time 3:30 PM, 7:30 PM + 1:00 AM (Thursday)
Mountain Time 2:30 PM, 6:30 PM, Midnight
Pacific Time 1:30 PM, 5:30 PM, 11:00 PM

CLICK HERE or visit USAShooting.com for more information about the USA Shooting Team. You can make a tax deductible donation by sending a check or money order to:

USA Shooting/Donations
1 Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909