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August 8th, 2008
Everybody’s conplaining about rising prices these days. And it’s true that, because of the increased cost of lead, copper and other raw materials, the prices of bullets and brass have risen dramatically in recent months. Well, right now Grafs.com has a great deal if you need bulk, 55gr bullets to shoot from your AR or other .22-caliber centerfire. These Federal, 55gr FMJ BT bullets are just $7.99 per hundred. And the cost per bullet is even lower if you buy in quantities of 500, 1000, or 2000. For example, 1000 bullets are just $71.90 (effective cost of $7.19 per 100). Note: These bullets have a cannelure.
 Grafs.com also has low-cost .22-caliber bullets from PRVI Partisan, starting at $9.79 per hundred for 50gr soft points, item PPB224SP50, and $9.99 per hundred for 55gr soft points, item PPB224SP55. We bet these bullets would work well for varmint rifles. The longer PRVI 22-caliber match bullets shot great for Danny Reever and other testers.
Grafs.com also offers other budget-prived PRVI bullets in .224, 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, and .308 calibers.
August 7th, 2008
Here’s an interesting new product that earns major points for innovation. Shooters Ridge has invented a shooting bench with wheels AND flip-up sides so it can serve as a field transporter. the Shooters Ridge new bench/cart is officially called the Voyager™ Shooting System. It will hit the market very shortly, priced with a $384.49 MSRP. The Voyager features large 20”-diameter wheels with tubeless tires, a generous 12” cushioned seat and weather-resistant frame and hardware. The wheels come off allowing the Voyager to fold flat for storage and transport.
Videos Show Voyager System Used as Cart and Shooting Bench
Shooters Ridge has two excellent videos on its website that show the Voyager bench/cart in use. If you are interested in this product, definitely watch one of both of the videos. They show varminters rolling the cart into position, setting up the bench, and then shooting.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VOYAGER VIDEOS.
NOTE: After clicking this link to get to Shooters Ridge Website, click “Media” in lower right. Then click “Voyager Video Streaming” (download link is not yet working).
This product is so new, we haven’t had a chance to test it ourselves. We’re a little concerned that the unit could rock or wobble when set up as a shooting bench. However, that can probably be avoided by chocking the wheels or staking down the rear support. Also, we prefer field benches that isolate the seat from the bench top. Still, the versatility of this product impresses us. You can use the Voyager to get your gear in and out of the field easily, yet it sets up quickly as a mobile shooting bench. If you’ve ever hauled a 100+ pound shooting bench around a varmint field you know it’s no fun. With the wheeled Voyager, you can easily roll to a new firing point, hauling your gear along with you. The folks at Shooters Ridge also say the Voyager is sturdy enough to haul game out of the field.
“Varmint hunters, big game hunters and all-day target shooters will appreciate the versatility of this new shooting bench,” stated Tom Knudtson of Shooters Ridge. “Whether it’s hauling game or gear, the Voyager is a rugged piece of equipment that pulls double-duty in the field. In my opinion, its quick conversion to a shooting bench is an amazing advancement.”
COMMENT: The concept of an easy-to-move bench that works as a cart is a good one. And perhaps the actual “street price” of the Voyager will be quite a bit lower than $384 MSRP. This editor has built a few gun-carts before. With wheels, wood, frame, and axles, one can easily spend over $125 just on materials. So, if this unit actually retails for $335.00 or so, it may be worth it. However, we have to reserve judgment on the Voyager until the question of stability in the field is answered.
August 6th, 2008
The standard light source for the Hawkeye Borescope works just fine. However, some users prefer a brighter light with a more pure white tint. A “whiter” light, folks have found, does a better job revealing traces of copper and small imperfections in the bore. Gradient Lens Corp. offers a high-tech Xenon “SuperNova” light source that provides ten times more light than the standard lamp. This works great, but the SuperNova lists for $225.00. Now there is a much more affordable option. Forum member Alf suggests: “I’d skip the SuperNova. Just go to Wally World and buy the $5.00 LED light upgrade for the mini-mag. Batteries last 10 times longer and the light is a whiter white, not a yellowish hue.”
Forum member Drano38 was the first to report on the inexpensive LED options for the Hawkeye Borescope: “I saw Maglite now has a 3-watt LED Mini-Maglite®, so I picked up one. The bulb bell is a little longer, and has more threads, but the thread pattern is the same. A quick comparison down the barrel showed much brighter and whiter than the Maglite shipped with the borescope. Is it worth about $24.00 for a brighter light? I think so. The LED Mini-Maglite flashlight is about 3/8″ longer than the regular, but it can still be [fitted into the borescope case].
Price Comparison: $24 for Mini-Maglite LED vs $225.00 for SuperNova Xenon
Forum member Gunamonth reports: “I’m not so concerned about brighter but whiter would make it a whole lot better. The color from the regular incandescent Mini-Maglite is kind of yellowish-orange which makes a lot of stuff seem like copper. I had considered buying the Nova light source until I saw this post by drano38 about a 3 watt LED version of a Mini-Maglite. It solves the problem of the regular incandescent bulb having a yellowish color that makes copper hard to see. The LED light is very white.
Thanks drano38. This is one of the best tips on this site. I was considering buying the Hawkeye Xenon SuperNova light to get rid of the yellow color of the standard lamp but the LED Mini-Maglite does the same thing for $200 less. Home Depot has the LED Mini-Maglite for for less than $24. Now the copper looks like copper and the stainless doesn’t.”
HOT DEAL: TylerTool.com sells 3-watt LED Mini-Maglites for just $19.35.
NOTE: While an LED MagLite does offer a brighter, whiter light, the Hawkeye SuperNova Xenon light source is even brighter yet. It is ten times brighter than the standard (non-LED) Mini-Maglite and it has a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery. If cost is not an issue, the SuperNova is the most powerful light source for the Hawkeye.
August 6th, 2008
 As we write this, Jochen Anschütz, new president of J.G. ANSCHÜTZ GmbH & Co. KG, is winging his way to Beijing, China to help support the athletes from many countries who will be using Anschütz air rifles and smallbore rifles in Olympic shooting competition. This year Jochen took over the helm of the company from his father Dieter Anschütz. Jochen represents the fifth generation of his family to direct the operations of the storied German arms-maker. Jochen, along with a team of Anschütz technicians, will be on hand to provide tuning and tech support for the shooters.
Anschütz 64 R for Rimfire Tactical Competition
This morning we were pleased to learn that Anschütz will be shipping one of their model 64 R Biathlon rifles to AccurateShooter.com for testing and evaluation. We think this rifle may be ideal for the new “precision rimfire tactical” discipline. (See our Rimfire Tactical Feature Story). The rifle features a prone-style stock with adjustable cheek-piece and buttplate. There is a forearm rail for mounting bipod or hand-stop. One cool optional feature for is a stock-mounted carrier for multiple magazines.
We hope to have this rifle in our hands by the end of August. We’ll test it for accuracy, fit, and function and then campaign it in regional matches. We hope to bring the rifle to the inaugural NorCal Rimfire Tactical (NCRT) match slated for October 26, 2008 at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center. Organized by Ed Eckhoff and Vu Pham, this should be an outstanding match with a exciting course of fire. Ed has been working hard on some fun and challenging targets, including a 100-yard “running target” on a 100-foot track.
August 5th, 2008
Zak Smith, an experienced practical/tactical shooter and 3-gun competitor, has prepared a video of the 2008 Steel Safari. This match is a unique test of practical shooting skills, conducted in “wild” field environments. Competitors must range and make shots at unknown distances, and sometimes at extreme angles. As you have to cover significant distances carrying rifle and gear, the match can also be a physical challenge. This is certainly no Benchrest match!
The Steel Safari demands a variety of practical rifle skills, including target recognition, range estimation, wind doping, trail skills, and marksmanship. Competitors must navigate through rugged terrain, then locate and range targets, and make first-round hits in often difficult field conditions. To learn more about the Steel Safari, visit Zak’s website, www.DemigodLLC.com, and read his MATCH REPORT.
Steel Safari Bloopers (Rifle Reliability) Video
If you enjoyed the match highlights video, you’ll also enjoy Zak’s “Bloopers” video. In this compilation from the Steel Safari, you’ll see a variety of firearm malfunctions in the field. Thankfully, none of the problems caused injury, but in this video you’ll see bolt actions that refused to feed or eject, or simply wouldn’t go bang. If you think bolt action rifles are fool-proof, this “bloopers reel” may change your opinion. Watch the video and you’ll see that even $4,000+ rifles sometimes give their owners fits.
August 5th, 2008
 America’s top short-range Benchrest shooters will vie for honors next week at the 2008 IBS National Championship. The 100/200 yard competition will be held August 11-16 at the Kelbly’s Rifle Range in North Lawrence, Ohio. The Kelbly’s range is one of the best facilities of its kind, with over 60 covered benches, along with shaded loading areas. There are camping spaces available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Fees for the match are $54 for 1 gun, $108 for 2 gun, $160 for 3 gun, and $212 for 4 gun (there is also a $10 late fee imposed after 7/11/2008). Matches will be conducted as follows:
August 11 – Heavy Bench, Five 10-shot record matches, 100 yards
August 12 – Heavy Bench, Five 10-shot record matches, 200 yards
August 13 – Sporter and Light Varmint, Five 5-shot record matches, 100 yards
August 14 – Heavy Varmint, Five 5-shot record matches, 100 yards
August 15 – Light Varmint & Sporter, Five 5-shot record matches, 200 yards
August 16 – Heavy Varmint, Five 5-shot record matches, 200 yards
Photo of Kelbly’s Range by Turk Takano, used by permission.
August 4th, 2008
Hunters can now have trophy-size animals measured (for record status), more easily. Starting this month, scoring on whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, bear and cougar will be offered as a free customer service at all 50 Bass Pro Shops stores. These outlets will have a Boone and Crockett Club associate measurer on staff. To find the store nearest you, go to www.basspro.com and click on “Store Locations.”
Keith Balfourd of Boone and Crocket Club states: “This partnership [with Bass Pro] provides millions of hunters with easy access to a certified measurer. It’s a new convenience spawned by demand — we’re seeing all-time high interest in our records program.”
Hunters can “green score” their own trophies by following guidelines at the Boone and Crockett Club Web site, www.booneandcrockettclub.com. If unofficial measurements are close to or above minimum scores, and the hunter would like to enter their trophy into the Boone and Crockett Club Awards Program ($40 entry fee), it must be scored by a trained measurer.
The Boone and Crockett Club accepts trophies taken in fair chase by all legal methods (i.e. firearm, archery, muzzleloader, etc.) including found, or “pick up,” trophies that meet or exceed minimum entry scores per species. Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, for more than a century Boone and Crockett Club has been a leader in records keeping, conservation, fair-chase hunting ethics and education.
August 3rd, 2008
It’s great that Reloder 17 can allow shooters to boost velocities by 150 fps or more (in suitable cartridges). Pushing a bullet faster can flatten its trajectory and reduce the amount of wind drift (at a given distance). However, in our quest to shoot bullets ever faster, we must remember that higher speeds come with a price. Higher velocities can increase fouling, may accelerate throat wear, and without question, higher velocities increase recoil.
How can you determine how much added recoil you’ll get when you speed up your bullets? The FREE Point Blank software program has a feature that calculates recoil. All you have to do is type in bullet weight, muzzle velocity, powder charge, and gun weight. Then the program automatically calculates recoil energy in ft/lbs and recoil velocity in fps. To use this feature, after launching Point Blank, click the “Misc Functions” tab, then select “Calculate Recoil”.
Point Blank Software Calculates Ballistics and Much More…
Point Blank Software is very versatile. It offers a full-featured ballistics calculator that figures bullet drop and wind drift. A built-in database will hold all your load data. In addition, you can keep track of your firearms with the firearms inventory database. A target screen lets you plot shots and calculate group size. Among the miscellaneous functions, in addition to calculating recoil, Point Blank can calculate muzzle energy, “knockout factor”, and bullet sectional density. Point Blank even offers a handy English/metric measurement converter.
What does all this calculating power cost? Zero. Zip. Nada. Point Blank Software is FREE. Just click on the link below to go to the download page. Point Blank will run on any PC using Windows 95 or newer operating system.
DOWNLOAD FREE Point Blank Reloading & Ballistics Software
August 3rd, 2008
Looking for a joystick-type front rest at a bargain price? Now through the end of August, 2008, the Caldwell Fire Control Rest is on sale at MidwayUSA for just $179.99 (product #956104). That’s a $20.00 savings.
This Caldwell Fire Control Rest costs hundreds of dollars less than a Farley Co-AX or a SEB coaxial rest, though the function is very similar. We’ve tried the Caldwell. While we much prefer the more costly Farley and SEB units (they have better bases and much better bags), the Caldwell does a creditable job. Movement of the rest head is fairly smooth in all directions. The rest can be adjusted so the control arm doesn’t “droop” or move even if you remove your hand. The one knock on the product is most people think the supplied front sandbags are not good enough for competitive benchrest. But for a varminter looking for the ability to adjust both vertical and horizontal aiming point quickly, this unit should suffice. Below is a video we created at the 2008 SHOT Show.
CLICK HERE (or on VIDEO frame) to watch Fire Control Rest DEMO Video
To view another Caldwell-produced short video showing the basic Fire Control Front Rest plus a full-length version that supports the rifle at the front AND rear, click the link below:
VIDEO — Caldwell Fire Control Front Rest and One-Piece Rest (with stock cradle)
August 2nd, 2008
Robert Whitley recently received some of the new Alliant Reloder 17 powder. He was able to test it in his 6XC, 6.5-284, and his .284 Winchester. Robert’s results with all three calibers were remarkable. First, he confirmed German Salazar’s findings that RL17 offers big velocity gains in the 6XC. Second, very importantly, Whitley found that RL17 allowed him to drive 180gr Bergers at 3000 fps in his .284 Win. That represents a gain of about 150 fps over his “max load” with other powders. Robert reports: “I just got back from the range and chrono-tested three rifles with RL17 using 5-shot chrono sequences. My results are presented below.”
CLICK HERE for COMPLETE Reloder 17 TEST REPORT
| WARNING: This report lists experimental findings based on a new powder for which very limited official load data is available. Always start low and work up in small increments. For a multitude of reasons, the SAFE velocities you might achieve in YOUR rifle may be substantially lower than the numbers listed here. |
Rifle #1: .284 Winchester with 180gr Berger VLDs
.284 Winchester Prone Rifle built up by Warner Tool Co. with Masterclass Stock, Barnard Action, Broughton 1:9″ twist 5C barrel (31.5″ long).
All loads used neck-turned, Winchester-headstamp .284 brass, CCI BR-2 primers, and naked (non-moly) Berger 180gr VLD bullets seated .010″ in the lands:
51 gr RL 17 – Mean Velocity 2881 fps, ES 17, SD 7 – No pressure issues at all
52 gr RL 17 – Mean Velocity 2953 fps, ES 19, SD 7 – No pressure issues at all
53 gr RL 17 – Mean Velocity 3003 fps, ES 25, SD 10 (Slight sticky bolt lift on 3 rounds – this is about top end for my liking but I would not hesitate to shoot it however if it turns out to deliver good accuracy).
Big Speed Gain with Reloder 17 in .284 Win
RL 17 clearly enables me to run the Berger 180s easily 125-150 fps faster that I normally was able to shoot them with H4350 and H4831SC in this rifle. My previous load ran around 2825 – 2850 fps with the Berger 180s and that was about all I could get out of it.
Rifle #2: 6.5-284 with 140gr Berger BTs
6.5 x 284 Prone Rifle built up by Warner Tool Co. with Masterclass Laminate Stock by Carl Bernosky, Barnard Action, Bartlein 1:8.5″ twist 5R rifled barrel (31″ long).
All loads used neck-turned Lapua 6.5 x 284 brass, Fed 210M primers, and naked (non-moly) Berger 140gr BT Thick Jacket bullets jumped .010″:
48 gr RL 17 – Mean Velocity 3035 fps, ES 17, SD 7 – No pressure issues at all
49 gr RL 17 – Mean Velocity 3078 fps, ES 25, SD 11 – No pressure issues at all
50 gr RL 17 – Mean Velocity 3130 fps, ES 35, SD 12 – No pressure issues at all
51 gr RL 17 – Mean Velocity 3185 fps, ES 17, SD 6 (Sticky bolt lift on 4 rounds – this is about top end for my liking but I would not hesitate to shoot it however if it turns out to deliver good accuracy).
Bear in mind my typical loading with this rifle is 48 grains of H4350 with a Fed 210M primer and the Berger 140gr BT Thick Jacket bullets (no moly) jumping .010″. This H4350 load runs 2987 fps and has sticky bolt lift on just about every round.
Nearly 200 fps More Velocity Using RL17 with 140s in 6.5-284
In this rifle, Reloder 17 clearly enables me to run the Berger 140s almost 200 fps faster than I normally was able to shoot them with H4350. My previous H4350 load ran around 2987 fps with the Berger 140s and that was about all I could get out of it.
Caution — The 6.5-284 already has a reputation as a barrel burner. We can’t predict the long-term effects of using RL17 and shooting 150-200 fps faster, but the higher velocities might cause barrels to wear even more quickly.
Rifle #3: 6XC with 107 SMKs and 115 DTACs
6XC Prone Rifle, MAK Tube Gun kit with Remington 700 short action glued in, Pac-Nor 30″ 1:8″ twist barrel (conventional 4-groove) chambered with an earlier design 6XC reamer (i.e. .275 neck, .090″ free bore and one and a half degree throat angle).
All loads were with Winchester 22-250 brass prepped via the Medler method and pre-fireformed to 6XC, BR-2 primed and loaded with either naked Sierra 107s jumped .020″ or DTAC 115s jumped .020″.
38 gr RL 17 (Sierra 107s) – Mean Velocity 2995, ES 34, SD 14
39 gr RL 17 (Sierra 107s) – Mean Velocity 3114, ES 19, SD 7
40 gr RL 17 (Sierra 107s) – Mean Velocity 3204, ES 32, SD 11
38.5 gr RL 17 (DTAC 115s) – Mean Velocity 3031, ES 45, SD 19
Comment: There were no pressure signs with any of the 6XC loads. With RL 17 I was shooting naked Sierra 107s at 3200 fps with no sticky bolt lift. My prior loading with this rifle was with 40 gr of N160 shooting Moly Berger 105 VLDs and above about 2950 fps I used to get sticky bolt lift so I stayed around 2950 fps. The primers with the 40 gr loading with Sierra 107s were flattening out a bit but there was never any sticky bolt lift with any of the loads. I suspect if I used the Russian primers that I typically use with my other 6mms, the ES and SD numbers might tighten up a bit.
Big Velocity Gain with DTAC 115s in the 6XC
Previously with this barrel and the DTAC 115s I could never get them over about 2875 fps without very excessive pressure, but with RL17 there were no pressure issues at 3031 fps. That’s a gain of +156 FPS and there may be more room above that.
Superior Velocities with Reloder 17 Confirmed
Generally speaking, my results confirm that German Salazar’s results with this powder were not an anomaly and that this RL17 powder is really quite different than the propellants we have previously been using in the shooting community. RL17 really takes both the .284 Win and 6XC to whole new performance levels, previously unattainable. Is RL17 a “miracle powder”? I don’t know, but it sure seems to be pointing in that direction.
| CALIBER |
Previous
Max Vel |
Previous wind drift @ 1000 (10 mph) |
RL17
Max Vel |
RL17 wind drift @ 1000 (10 mph) |
| .284 Win, 180 Berger VLD |
2840 fps, H4350 |
55.25″ |
3003 fps, RL17 |
50.42″ |
| 6.5-284, 140 Berger BT Thick |
2987 fps, H4350 |
61.55″ |
3185 fps, RL17 |
55.56″ |
| 6XC, 107 SMK moly |
2950 fps, N160 |
73.14″ |
3204 fps, RL17 |
64.77″ |
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