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September 10th, 2008
Kelbly’s will conduct a Benchrest School at its range in North Lawrence, Ohio, September 20-21st. Past BR school sessions have earned high marks from participants. Jim Kelbly and Greg Walley will be teaching this year. Greg reports: “We still have room for a few more students at the Autumn 2008 benchrest school. (Class size is limited to twelve students.) This class is recommended for the beginner interested in benchrest competition, or the varmint-target shooter looking to optimize his rifles and loading techniques for maximum accuracy. History shows that the weather is usually good at this time of year (rare in these parts!), so we should all have a good time. No need to bring a rifle if you don’t have one, since we will be supplying benchrest rifles, ammunition, rests, wind flags, etc. The cost of the weekend class will be $250. Lunch will be provided each day.”
 Two-Day Program
The sessions will run eight hours each day, and will be geared for the beginning benchrest shooter who wants to compete in NBRSA or IBS registered group-shooting matches. Saturday’s class will be in a classroom-style setting with Q&A sessions and a slide/video presentation covering many topics:
• Use and maintenance of benchrest target rifles
• Preparation and loading of benchrest grade ammunition using custom loading tools and techniques
• The application of ballistics and load development for optimum accuracy
The Sunday session will cover hands-on shooting, benchrest technique, range condition reading, and range etiquette. Rifles, rests, wind flags, ammunition and rifle cleaning equipment will be provided for the students. Participants can bring their own rifles if desired.
For more info or to register, visit Kelby’s Benchrest School webpage, email greg [at] kelbly.com, or call (330) 683-4674.
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September 9th, 2008
UPDATE: ALL SOLD OUT as of noon, 9/9/2008
Right now Bruno Shooters Supply has special edition 100-Year Anniversary 30-06 brass on sale for just $49.00 per hundred cases (item 4HH7067). This is first-quality Lapua brass, produced as a special run for Dakota Arms in 2006. To some, this relatively rare brass is worth buying for collector purposes. For others, it’s just a heck of a deal. Bruno’s regular price on standard Lapua 30-06 brass (item 4PH7068) is $67.00 per hundred cases, and you’ll see the same Lapua-headstamp brass sold for up to $100.99 per hundred elsewhere (MidwayUSA price).
There are less than 1500 pieces available at this price, so act quickly. Call Bruno’s at (623) 587-7641 and ask Amy or Lester for the special “100 Years” Lapua brass. Kudos go to German Salazar for spotting this great deal on unique Lapua brass.
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September 9th, 2008
Varminters — here’s a corporate acquisition that could affect you. Kansas-based Coyote Jakes, Inc. has been acquired by Sellmark Corp., a Texas company with a diverse line of consumer, military, and law enforcement products. Sellmark will take over manufacturing and distribution of Coyote Jakes products, including the popular swiveling shooting benches. Sellmark Corp. will continue to offer (and honor) a lifetime warranty on Coyote Jakes shooting benches.
CLICK HERE to watch Shooting Bench VIDEO
Coyote Jakes shooting stands are made of Grade 1 Steel or high-grade aluminum. With their stable, ground-hugging 3-legged platforms, Coyote Jakes’ benches provide 360° rotation and support up to 350 pounds. The steel shooting stand weighs under 65 pounds complete, while the aluminum version weighs just 45 pounds. The shooting platforms break down into seven (7) parts for easy transport.
Coyote Jakes’ founder David Krien states that: “Sellmark’s ability to market and build brands will bring our product to more consumers.” James Sellers, CEO of Sellmark, said, “Coyote Jakes has always been known for the highest quality gun rests and shooting tables in the industry. The addition of the Coyote Jakes line [gives us a] leadership position in these product categories.” In addition to the Coyote Jakes product line, Sellmark Corp. currently manufactures shooting chairs, tree stands, trail cameras, rifle scopes, night vision equipment, boresights, red-dot sights, and military sights.
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September 9th, 2008
An electronic powder dispenser and digital scale can be very useful tools for load development. However, you’ll need a power supply if your range doesn’t offer AC outlets. Many folks have asked us “How can I use a laptop, chronograph, or electronic powder dispenser that requires 110/120 volt power when I’m at the range?” Sure you can take power from your car’s 12 volt cigarette lighter jack, but you’ll still need a very long cable and a 12 volt to 120 volt step-up transformer. If you run a cable from the parking lot to the bench or shooting bay you’ll have to leave a window open in your vehicle and fellow shooters can trip over the long cord.
A better solution is to get a portable 12 volt/120 volt power station. These are offered by many manufacturers, starting at about $40. Most have a large lead-acid battery inside a plastic enclosure with built-in 12 volt and 110/120 volt outlets. Some units also include air compressors and jumper cables so you can inflate a flat tire or jump-start your vehicle.
Among the available units, we like the Black & Decker VEC026BD Electromate 400 AC/DC Portable Power Station. The B&D Electromate (also sold under the Vector label) offers 400 watts of 120-volt AC power, plus 12.5-volt DC output. There are two three-prong AC outlets and two cigarette-jack style 12v DC outlets on the front of the unit. The Electromate 400 also features an air compressor and permanently attached jumper cables stowed in the rear of the unit. This Black & Decker power unit is currently on sale at Tyler Tool for $99.95. If you don’t need the full 400 watts and air compressor, Black & Decker offers the VEC1026BD Electromate 250 ($61.99 at Amazon.com). This has jumper cables, but no compressor and just one 120 volt outlet and one 12 volt outlet.
Sportsman’s Guide offers a similar product, the Guide Gear™ Power Station. This versatile, 5-in-1 product includes Jumpstarter, Air Compressor, 12V Power Inverter, 12V outlet, 110/120 volt outlet, and Worklight. Priced at $89.97, the Guide Gear™ Power Station offers 400 watts of power and can be recharged from either home or vehicle (both AC and DC cords included). Jumpstarter cables stow neatly in the ends and the unit features heavy rubber protective edges.
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September 8th, 2008
Robertson Composites has introduced a new benchrest stock design, optimized for 100- to 300-yard group and score shooting. It complies with all IBS, NBRSA, and international stock rules for short-range benchrest and is light enough to be used in a 10.5-lb Light Varmint rifle. Typical inletted bare weight, LV version, is 26 ounces. The stock was designed with input from ace Canadian and American benchresters.
While similar in external appearance to the Speedy BRX stock (also built by Robertson), the new stock has important new features. First, the forearm has raised flats on the sides to improve lateral stability and reduce the tendency to rotate in the bags. Second, the grip area is smaller and not as fat or thick as the BRX design. This should be more comfortable for those who prefer a light hold on the gun. Lastly, there are subtle changes to the area behind the action. The tang area has a greater downward slope to provide more clearance for the bolt when retracted.
Photos Courtesy Gary Walters. Rifle belongs to Victor Smith.
The new stock is currently in production and you can place an order. You can get any color combination you like (orange ‘granite’ is shown in the photo), and the stock can be built extra heavy on request. However, Ian Robertson reports: “we’re up to our ears in business right now, and it will take time to fill all the back-orders.” So, expect to wait a 8-10 weeks for delivery of your order. The new stock starts at $260.00 Canadian for a non-inletted stock in a single color, without buttplate. Two colors will cost $25.00 CND extra, and inletting is available for many popular BR actions for an additional charge.
CLICK HERE for complete Robertson Composites PRICE LIST.
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September 8th, 2008
It’s great when a talented person we know gets selected for an important job. It’s even better when that person will now serve the shooting sports community in a key role. Vanessa Warner has accepted the position of Disabled Shooting Services Manager for the NRA. This is a great choice by the NRA, and shooters nationwide will benefit.
Vanessa is a respected long-range shooter with an impressive resume in marketing and communications. She will work within the National Rifle Association’s Competitive Shooting Division to improve the opportunities for disabled and physically-impaired shooters of all ages.
Vanessa Warner (bottom row, left) at 2006 F-Class Nationals. |
Warner’s responsibilities include planning, developing, and implementing shooting and hunting programs for the disabled community. Warner also serves as Secretary for both the NRA Protest Committee and the President’s Committee on Disabled Shooting.
Vanessa has big plans for the future of the NRA’s Disabled Shooting Services: “If you picture a wagon wheel, there is a center hub and a number of spokes that all connect to the outside rim. I want Disabled Shooting Services to be the hub,” Warner said. “Each of the spokes represents a shooting discipline and the outside rim is the shooting community at large. It is my dream to have full inclusion of disabled shooters on the firing lines-to have disabled and able-bodied shooters compete ‘shoulder-to-shoulder’ in matches.”
Warner can be reached at NRA Headquarters by calling (703) 267-1495. CLICK HERE to learn more about NRA’s competitive shooting programs.
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September 7th, 2008
We recently spoke to Dennis DeMille, General Manager of Creedmoor® Sports and two-time NRA National High Power Rifle Champion. Dennis has been one of the driving forces in the creation of the new 6.5 Creedmoor round (see video below). He alerted us to a recent change in the 120gr version of the factory-loaded 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition.
 120gr Load Changed to Reduce Pressure
Hornady sells two types of 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition, one loaded with 140gr Amax bullets and a second loaded with 120gr Amax bullets. Hornady has changed the 120gr load because there were some reports of pressure issues — stiff bolt lift and primer cratering — with the “first generation” load. The new load for the 120-grainers uses 40.3 grains of Hodgdon Varget. Previously Hornady was pushing the 120s with 44.5 grains of Hodgdon H4350. The old load was rated at 3020 fps from a 28″ barrel. According to Hornady, the new 120gr Varget load “sacrifices about 75 fps”, which means the Varget load should offer about 2945 fps velocity.
New 120gr Load Accurate and Easy on the Shoulder
Dennis DeMille recently tested the new 120gr 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition at the Camp Pendleton range. He tells us: “At 200 and 300 yards, this Varget 120gr load gives up nothing in accuracy to the previous 120gr ammunition. Shooting prone with iron sights, I was able to shoot ‘cleans’ at 200 rapid-fire. The new load is easier on the shoulder too. The 75fps reduction in velocity reduces recoil considerably. The reduced kick was pretty noticeable.”
Dennis also told us: “The new 120gr (Varget-loaded) ammo had exactly the same point of impact at 300 yards as the 140gr loaded ammo. The zero was pretty much identical at this distance.”
The new 6.5 Creedmoor 120gr ammo should be available shortly. Creedmoor Sports expects to receive supplies of the Varget-loaded 120gr ammo by the end of September. Creedmoor Sports has 6.5 Creedmoor brass, Amax bullets, and 6.5 Creedmoor reloading dies in stock right now. Click on Video below to learn more about the 6.5 Creedmore cartridge.
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September 7th, 2008
As we approach the fall Presidential election, it is important that all gun owners understand the differences between the Democratic Party and Republican Party when it comes to gun regulation. The choice of Vice Presidential candidates speaks volumes about the difference between the parties: Palin is staunchly pro-gun, while Biden is aggressively anti-gun. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is a long-time NRA member whose family has relied on hunting to “put meat on the table.” By contrast, Delaware Senator Joe Biden has authored major gun ban legislation, and Biden carries an “F” rating on gun issues from the NRA.
How about Barrack Obama — what is his stance on gun rights? In an effort to mollify moderate “swing” voters, Obama hasn’t been talking about gun control much lately. But the fact remains that he is no friend to gun owners. He supports new bans on self-loading rifles, and in 2000 he co-sponsored legislation limiting handgun purchases. To learn more, you should watch the following video. Keep in mind it is a one-sided “advocacy” piece created by the Republican National Committee. Nonetheless, the facts speak for themselves.
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September 6th, 2008
The Spirit of America (SOA) National Fullbore Rifle Prone Championship kicks off Sunday, Sept. 7th at Raton, NM, at the Whittington Center Range. The event will run for a full week, concluding with the 3rd U.S. F-Class International Team Challenge Match on Sept. 14th. Members of the Open F-Class teams for the USA and other nations will participate, using this event as a tune-up for the 2009 World Championships in Bisley, England. Open Class Team USA members will all be shooting rifles chambered as 6.5-284s. Overall weight is 22 lbs. for the Open Class rifles, including scope. Shown below is U.S. Team member David Bailey’s rifle, which features a Robertson Composites F-Class stock, with a BAT Action.
The match is sponsored and hosted by the Bald Eagles Rifle Club. A complete 9-page guide to the event is available online. This includes general info, basic match rules, fee schedule, a registration form and match calendar.
CLICK HERE to download SOA Info Form (.pdf file).
Day by day, the scheduled matches include:
Sept. 7 (Sunday): Cunico Tire Service Team Match
Sept. 8 (Monday): Folsom Shooting Club Team Match
Sept. 9 (Tuesday): OK Weber Individual Match — 300, 500, 600 and 900 yards
Sept. 10 (Wednesday): Precision Shooting Individual Match — 300, 500, 600 and 1000 yards
Sept. 11 (Thursday): Sierra Bullets Team Match + McGee Rifle Stocks Match
Sept. 12 (Friday): Sinclair International Individual Match — 300, 500, 600 and 900 yards
Sept. 13 (Saturday): Sierra Bullets Individual Match — 300, 500, 600 and 1000 yards
Sept. 14 (Sunday): F-Class International Team Challenge Match For F-Open Teams
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September 6th, 2008
For self-defense in your home or shop, you want quick access to your handgun.
Ideally, both handguns and long guns should be locked up in a heavy, full-size gunsafe that is bolted to the floor. However, if you need quick access to a handgun for personal defense in the home, there are smaller safes that can be opened in a couple of seconds, while still keeping handguns secure from kids or any unwanted visitors.
Shown above is a GunVault Biometric handgun safe ($299.99 at Cabelas.com). This uses your fingerprint as the “key” to open the safe. Place your index finger in the scanner then press the middle button, and the safe opens up in under 2 seconds. As a back-up, you can can quickly open the safe by pressing buttons on the 4-finger keypad in the right sequence. Gunvault also makes a less costly basic GunVault version without the fingerprint function. The basic GunVault employs the keypad and/or a security lock to open the safe. Both models (biometric and standard) can be secured via a heavy security cable so a thief can’t simply grab the safe and run. Cabela’s has a video showing the biometric Gunvault in action.
 CLICK HERE to watch VIDEO of BIOMETRIC SAFE
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September 5th, 2008
The F-Class Nationals are coming up soon. The Fifth Annual F-Class Championship will be hosted Sept. 30 – Oct. 4 in Lodi, Wisconsin (Winnequah Gun Club). Over 140 shooters are expected to attend. The Course of Fire at the F-Class Nationals requires shooting at multiple distances. That means you’ve got to carry your rifle and rest back and forth to various shooting positions. With rifles that top 20 pounds, it’s no fun to haul a super-heavy front rest around. Butch Lambert has come up with a solution — a special light-weight front rest.
Lambert Crafts Light-weight Front Rest
At the request of Larry Bartholome, current member and former captain of the U.S. F-Class team, Butch Lambert of Shadetree Engineering & Accuracy (S.E.A.), has designed and fabricated a lightweight yet stable front rest prototype. Larry wanted a unit that was less burdensome to haul between firing lines than the typical cast-iron or “heavy metal” front pedestal. (That’s Larry with his spectacular “Captain America” Shehane red, white, and blue MBR Tracker stock.)
Other than the steel center hub, the rest is built from aircraft-grade 6061 T-6 aluminum, which can be TIG-welded and hard-anodized. To keep weight down, the three horizontal legs are hollow tubes with flutes or slots milled top and bottom. Butch sent us these photos of the new rest, noting: “It weighs 2.25 lbs without the top. I set one of our unfinished rest tops on it. I moved the back leg to the front to get it out of the way. Larry is ‘wrong handed’, so I made it left-handed. I hope to get it TIG-welded together next week and plated. It is definitely easy to lug around, but I prefer something heavier for benchrest shooting. For F-Class, under a 22-lb rifle, Larry believes it should work well.”
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September 5th, 2008
The Beretta Group of companies, led by Beretta U.S.A., Benelli U.S.A., and Burris Optics, have pledged to give the NRA $1 million over the next five years. This gift will benefit the NRA Institute for Legislative Action and the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund.
 The announcement was made by Cav. Ugo Gussalli Beretta at an event at his home in Clinton, Maryland, on August 20. At this event, Cav. Beretta was inducted into the NRA’s Golden Ring of Freedom, the highest level of the Association’s comprehensive donor recognition society. This new pledge brings the Beretta Group’s gift commitments to the NRA to over $2 million. Previous gifts have benefited the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, NRA Youth Programs, Hunting and Wildlife Conservation, and the National Firearms Museum.
The NRA Institute for Legislative Action mobilizes millions of volunteers nationwide on behalf of candidates who support our Second Amendment freedom, and has been very effective in recent elections both on the state and national level. The Civil Rights Defense Fund, the NRA’s sister 501(c)3 organization, supports litigation involving significant legal issues relating to the right to keep and bear arms.
Beretta U.S.A. is part of the Beretta Holding Group. Controlled by the Beretta family, the group includes arms-makers Beretta, Benelli, Franchi and Uberti (Italy), and Sako and Tikka (Finland). The oldest among these companies, Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A., has been operated by 15 generations of the Beretta family, starting in 1526. Cav. Ugo Gussalli Beretta and his sons, Pietro and Franco, run the company today.
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