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April 8th, 2009
 Our own Asst. Editor, Jason Baney, runs a popular “postal match” called “Smack the Smiley”. Four times a year (Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter) you can shoot an official target at your own range, and then submit it for judging. Over $2000.00 in prizes will be awarded for each 2009 seasonal match. You can compete with shooters from across the continent.
Jason started the Smiley matches in 2004. Since 2006, a share of monies collected from entry fees have been donated to American military marksmen via AmericanSnipers.org. These donations have totaled over $5000.00.
Jason is accepting entries for the current Spring Match. Order your targets now. The Spring Match officially starts April 13, 2009. Your finished Spring targets must be returned (postmarked) by May 26, 2009. Targets will be scored and ranked on shooting forums including SnipersHide.com, West Coast Tactical, SnipersParadise, and the main contest site, SmackTheSmiley.com
Smack the Smiley Prizes
Prizes donated by manufacturers are raffled off, lottery-style, after each match. This means that every participant has a chance at winning a valuable prize. The prize list totals over $2000.00 in value for each Smack the Smiley match. You’re smart to shoot all four seasonal matches (Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter). A four-match Aggregate will be tallied this year with a possible prize for the Aggregate winner.
CLICK HERE for Smack The Smiley 4-Season Match Calendar
Smack The Smiley Postal Match Rules
● There are two classes, rimfire and centerfire, with no other rifle restrictions. Rimfire guns shoot at 50 yards, while centerfire rifles shoot at 100 yards.
● All rifles must be shot from the ground, either sitting or prone position, with NO tripod rests allowed. Only bipods or other field expedient rests are allowed.
● You must shoot official targets only, ordered from SmackTheSmiley.com. These cost $3.50 each with a max of 4 targets per class. One dollar ($1) from each target goes to Americansnipers.org.
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April 8th, 2009
 On today’s broadcast of ShootingUSA television, Jim Scoutten and his crew feature a recent Three-gun Challenge Match at Fort Benning, Georgia. In this event, hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), both Army and civilian shooters compete with pistol, rifle, and shotguns in a multi-stage, timed course of fire. ShootingUSA airs Wednesdays on the Outdoor Channel at the following times:
* Eastern Time: 4:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 12:00 Midnight
* Central Time: 3:30 PM, 7:30 PM, 11:00 PM
* Mountain Time: 2:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 10:00 PM
* Pacific Time: 1:30 PM, 5:30 PM, 9:00 PM
Stages Re-Create Medal of Honor Scenarios
Each of the eight stages in the three-gun match recalls the actions of a Medal of Honor recipient with portions of each citation read to the competitors as the explanation of the course of fire. This annual three-gun match helps advance the Army Marksmanship Unit’s mission of improving skills throughout the Army, according to AMU Commander, LTC Frank Muggio, “This type of competition is exactly what we want our soldiers to be able to do in the field. They identify a target, they choose the right weapon system to engage the target, and they take out the target, and not anything around the target.”
The video clip below (not from ShootingUSA) shows Erik Lund’s Stage 5-winning performance at the 2008 Fort Benning 3-Gun Challenge.
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April 8th, 2009
 Grafs.com has loaded Lapua 6mmBR ammo in stock. This ammo is expensive (about $36 per box of 20 rounds) but the 6mmBR loaded ammo is really good stuff. We’ve tried it in a half-dozen custom 6BRs. In calm conditions, it has shot between 1/4 and 1/2 MOA. In the USA, this ammo is offered with two bullet weights — 90gr Scenar or 105gr Scenar. Both types of ammo shoot great.
If you own a 6mmBR rifle with a no-turn neck, we recommend purchasing at least one box. Test it through your gun with a chronograph. This will give you a useful benchmark to assess if your barrel runs faster or slower than average. (In a 25.6″ barrel, the 90s are rated at 2950 fps while the 105s are rated at 2790 fps.) You may be surprised at how accurate this stuff can be. It is loaded to be about .025″ off the lands in a .100″ freebore chamber.
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April 7th, 2009
One of our readers recently observed: “You know there’s so much negative news about the economy, gun laws etc., we need to read something positive to keep things in balance. Why don’t you guys do a ‘good news’ story every week in the Daily Bulletin?”
Good suggestion! Here’s an item that we think has a positive slant — a new shooting program for shooters with physical impairments….
 Open Range Day for Disabled Shooters
On April 11, the NRA, lead by Disabled Shooting Services Manager Vanessa Warner, is hosting a first-ever “Open Range Day” at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona. This event is the latest program offered by the National Rifle Association’s Disabled Shooting Services. The day will focus on introductory shooting for people with physical disabilities. Open Range Day will offer shotgun, rifle, pistol, and air rifle instruction. Warner expects around 80 participants for the inaugural event. “This is a pilot program for what we hope to expand to a national program,” Warner said.
Warner has secured the support of Colt Defense, Ruger Firearms, White Flyer Target, Remington, Kowa Optimed, Birchwood Casey, Davidson’s, Beeman, and Lapua. “We’re still accepting door prize donations,” Warner said.
The event is the first of its kind and will give participants the opportunity to fire a wide variety of firearms. NRAblog.com plans to report live from the event. For more information about Open Range Day or other services for disabled shooters, call Vanessa Warner at NRA Headquarters, (703) 267-1495, or e-mail disabled_shooting@nrahq.org.
 Bob Foth Hired as Paralympic Shooting Coach
In related matters, USA Shooting announced the hiring of Olympic silver medalist Bob Foth as its new Paralympic Shooting Coach and Program Manager. A three-time Olympian in rifle, Foth brings a tremendous amount of experience to his new position. He began shooting competitively in 1972 and won numerous national and international medals during his shooting career. He was part of several world champion teams and set six world records. He joined the USA Shooting staff as Youth Programs and Coach Development Manager in 2006 and assumed his new role as Paralympic Coach/Manager on April 6, 2009. Foth will join Warner and NRAblog at the Ben Avery Shooting Complex in Phoenix on April 11 for Open Range Day.
CLICK HERE for large Ben Avery Map.
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April 7th, 2009
 Alliant Techsystems (NYSE:ATK) has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Army to continue operating the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant for an additional four (4) years. Under the new contract, ATK will continue to supply small-caliber ammunition through September 2013. The contract extension assures an uninterrupted supply of ammunition to the U.S. military beyond ATK’s current 10-year contract. The U.S. Army also awarded ATK $481 million under the new contract for production of 5.56mm, 7.62mm, and .50-caliber ammunition and to continue work to modernize the Lake City facility.
ATK is now the #1 producer of small arms ammunition in the world, manufacturing billions of rounds each year. Lake City is a key source of ATK ammo production. ATK began operating the plant, located in Independence, Missouri, in April 2000 and has increased production from 350 million to more than 1.4 billion rounds annually. The plant has the capability to produce a mix of 5.56mm, 7.62mm, .50-caliber, and 20mm cartridges, as well as ammunition links.
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April 6th, 2009
A Brady won the Hickory Groundhog and Egg Shoot this year, but it wasn’t Terry, IBS world-record holder. This year Terry’s son Chris Brady earned top honors among 186 registered competitors, shooting a 91 with his dad’s Borden-built 6 Dasher to win the match overall. This was the combined score for 100, 300, and 500 yards. At the Hickory shoot, one is allowed to shoot two rifles. Doing that, Chris Brady also took 4th place overall with a “super-modified” 33-lb 6BR that Terry built just for events like the Hickory. Greg Cooper took second overall. Tommy McKee was the first to break an Egg. There were only 2 or 3 broken during the day as the wind was tricky and switching left to right.
Conditions, though warm and sunny, suprised the competitors, according to Terry Brady: “All week long it had been cloudy and cold, and that’s what we were tuning for. But it was sunny and warm on Saturday.” Though Terry and Chris were expecting big things from the 33-lb 6BR, it turns out that Terry’s old black Borden (re-chambered from 6BR to 6 Dasher) shot the best. In the black Dasher, the Bradys used a fairly moderate load of 32.5 grains Reloder 15 with Berger 105gr bullets. Terry finished 10th overall.
IBS 600-yard Shooter of the Year Sam Hall praised Chris Brady’s performance: “Just got word that Chris Brady (Terry Brady’s son) won 1st place overall at the Hickory Shoot with a 91. He also got 4th place with his second rifle (the 33-pounder). [Chris] has been in the top 5 or better several times. I’m tickled to death he finally won it! Way to go Chris.”
Chris gave credit to his fellow competitors and suggested that you’ll see him on the firing line again soon: “There was alot of talent on the range today. The wind was a constant battle and the topic of every discussion. All you could do was shoot and pray. Thanks goes out to Dad for all his help (every year), Berger Bullets, D&B Supply, and Bulls Eye Sporting Goods for hosting this competition every year! See everyone at Piedmont sometime soon….” For his 1st Place and 4th Place finishes, Chris won a 50% off certificate for a Nightforce Scope and a D&B Supply (Shehane) Tracker stock.
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April 6th, 2009
Leupold has released a new ultra-compact laser rangefinder, the RX-1000. This thing is tiny — not much larger than a pack of cigarettes. The pocket-sized RX-1000 measures 3.8 inches long and weighs just 7.8 ounces. The “street price” for the basic RX-1000 unit is about $350.00 while the TBR® model with built-in ballistics compensation runs about $400.00 (OpticsPlanet.com prices). Both the RX-1000 and RX-1000 TBR units feature an aluminum frame, inside a weatherproof, matte-black, rubber-armored exterior. The RX-1000 TBR is also available in Mossy Oak® camouflage.
Beyond the reduction in size and weight, the notable feature of the RX-1000 is an improved optic with better light transmission. Leupold claims the RX-1000’s 80% light transmission is superior to most other rangefinders. In addition, the RX-1000 features a RED OLED read-out. In low light conditions, the OLED is definitely easier to view that conventional LCD displays.
Leupold claims the RX-1000 has a maximum effective range of 1,000 yards (914.4 meters) on reflective targets. Based on the performance of other Leupold rangefinders, we expect this claim is grossly optimistic and you shouldn’t count on reliable ranging much past 700 yards.
One feature we like about the new RX-1000 are the selectable reticles: a small “Plus Point” crosshair for ranging small targets, a larger outer crosshair, or a combination of the two. This is a feature we’d like to see added to premium rangefinders like the Swarovski laser guide. Choosing a tight reticle lets you aim the device more precisely, which reduces the chance of errant laser returns.
We think it’s wise to pay the money for the TBR model which automatically calculates the shot angle and provides the actual Ballistic Range rather than the straight-line distance to the target. This can be very helpful for hunters shooting at extreme up or down angles in mountainous country. To learn more about the RX-1000, check out Jeff Quinn’s Gunblast.com Review, visit www.leupold.com, or call 1-800-LEUPOLD.
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April 5th, 2009
[This item last appeared a year ago in our Daily Bulletin, generating considerable interest among readers. By popular request, we’re reprinting this story, in case you missed it the first time around. — Editor]
Precision shooters favor premium brass from Lapua, Norma, or RWS. (Lake City also makes quality brass in military calibers.) Premium brass delivers better accuracy, more consistent velocities, and longer life. Shooters understand the importance of good brass, but many of us have no idea how cartridge cases are actually made. Here’s how it’s done.
The process starts with a brass disk stamped from strips of metal. Then, through a series of stages, the brass is extruded or drawn into a cylindrical shape. In the extrusion process the brass is squeezed through a die under tremendous pressure. This is repeated two or three times typically. In the more traditional “draw” process, the case is progressively stretched longer, in 3 to 5 stages, using a series of high-pressure rams forcing the brass into a form die. While extrusion may be more common today, RWS, which makes some of the most uniform brass in the world, still uses the draw process: “It starts with cup drawing after the bands have been punched out. RWS cases are drawn in three ‘stages’ and after each draw they are annealed, pickled, rinsed and subjected to further quality improvement measures. This achieves specific hardening of the brass cases and increases their resistance to extraordinary stresses.” FYI, Lapua also uses a traditional draw process to manufacture most of its cartridge brass (although Lapua employs some proprietary steps that are different from RWS’ methods).
After the cases are extruded or drawn to max length, the cases are trimmed and the neck/shoulder are formed. Then the extractor groove (on rimless cases) is formed or machined, and the primer pocket is created in the base. One way to form the primer pocket is to use a hardened steel plug called a “bunter”. In the photos below you see the stages for forming a 20mm cannon case (courtesy OldAmmo.com), along with bunters used for Lake City rifle brass. This illustrates the draw process (as opposed to extrusion). The process of draw-forming rifle brass is that same as for this 20mm shell, just on a smaller scale.
River Valley Ordnance explains: “When a case is being made, it is drawn to its final draw length, with the diameter being slightly smaller than needed. At this point in its life, the head of the draw is slightly rounded, and there are no provisions for a primer. So the final drawn cases are trimmed to length, then run into the head bunter. A punch, ground to the intended contours for the inside of the case, pushes the draw into a cylindrical die and holds it in place while another punch rams into the case from the other end, mashing the bottom flat. That secondary ram holds the headstamp bunter punch.
The headstamp bunter punch has a protrusion on the end to make the primer pocket, and has raised lettering around the face to form the headstamp writing. This is, of course, all a mirror image of the finished case head. Small cases, such as 5.56×45, can be headed with a single strike. Larger cases, like 7.62×51 and 50 BMG, need to be struck once to form a dent for the primer pocket, then a second strike to finish the pocket, flatten the head, and imprint the writing. This second strike works the brass to harden it so it will support the pressure of firing.”
Thanks to Guy Hildebrand, of the Cartridge Collectors’ Exchange, OldAmmo.com, for providing this 20mm Draw Set photo. Bunter photo from River Valley Ordnance, RVOW.com.
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April 5th, 2009
Sinclair International recently launched its enhanced and upgraded website. The revamped site is faster to navigate, and you’ll find it much easier to find new products and bargain specials. Congrats to Bill Gravatt and the folks at Sinclair Int’l for a job well done.
One great feature newly integrated into Sinclair’s website is The Reloading Press, a regularly-updated Blog with product info and authoritative technical articles on reloading and precision shooting. Here are some of the valuable “how-to” articles you’ll find on Sinclair’s Blog:
Determining Bullet Seating Depth
Setting Up a Full-Length Sizing Die
Shooting Non-Benchrest Rifles from the Bench
Basics of Reloading for the AR15
Methods and Benefits of Sorting Cases by Weight
The Reloading Press is a valuable addition to the online resources available to precision shooters. We commend Sinclair for investing the time and effort to provide this material at no cost to Sinclair’s customers. Click one of the links above and check it out yourself.
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April 4th, 2009
The recent multi-trillion-dollar orgy of federal spending has many economic experts worried about the “I word” — inflation. As the government borrows more and more money, these experts caution we can expect the dollar to fall and prices to rise. Are there “safe havens” in inflationary times? Real estate is depressed, the stock market has been devastated, and as for bonds… well if interest rates rise in the months ahead, you have to be very careful about buying low-return bonds right now.
We are NOT qualified to hand out investment advice, particularly in these troubled economic times when all the “conventional wisdom” has gone by the wayside. Nonetheless, it appears that demand for fine firearms remains high. In particular, “classic” high-grade revolvers have been appreciating even while stocks tumble and home values sink.
Colt Python — An Appreciating Asset
Among the most desirable of double-action revolvers is the Colt Python, preferrably with Colt’s famous high-polish Royal Blue finish. Pristine blued Pythons sold for $800.00-$900.00 just a few years ago. Now the same revolvers are fetching up to $1900.00 at auction. The mint-condition 1977 6″ Python shown below sold for $1850.00 just last week on Gunbroker.com, and there were 15 bidders! (See Completed Auction 125683644.)
Would a Python be a good short- or long-term investment? You have to decide that for yourself. But consider this: Colt stopped producing Pythons in 2005, so the supply is fixed. And the recent Pythons are not (yet) considered as desirable as Pythons made in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. So the price of the older Pythons keeps rising. Pythons were produced with 2.5″, 4″, 6″ and 8″ barrels. All lengths are popular, but the 6″ Python seems to be the most sought-after currently.
If you’ve ever carefully inspected a Royal Blue Python, and worked the action, you’ll understand why they are so popular. The liquid-like ultra-smooth blued finish is simply the best ever offered on an American handgun. Chuck Hawks writes: “Colt’s Royal Blue is the ultimate polished blue finish for steel guns. No other blued production revolver can compare to the beauty of Colt’s Royal Blue Python.” And the Python’s double-action trigger is considered by many to be the smoothest ever made. The triggers on S&W Performance center revolvers are very, very good, but the trigger in a 60s or 70s Python is better — right out of the box. Typically, Pythons are extremely accurate, shooting sub-inch at 25 yards. Ergonomically, Pythons are a pleasure to shoot because the bore axis is lower than on most other large-frame revolvers. Chuck Hawks agrees: “Subjectively, this finest of all DA revolvers is a soft shooter… most shooters feel that the Python kicks less than other DA magnum revolvers of comparable weight.”
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April 4th, 2009
6mmBR, 220 Russian, .308 IN STOCK
MidwayUSA just received supplies of Lapua brass for the hard-to-find cartridges: 220 Russian, 6mmBR, .243, 6.5 Grendel, and .308. If you need Lapua brass in a hurry, you might want to jump on this, as Midway’s inventory will probably sell out quickly.
 220 Russian, item 1270320316, $94.99 per 100-ct box
6mmBR, item 1270323515, $80.89 per 100-ct box
.243 Win, item 1270235456, $82.34 per 100-ct box
6.5 Gredel, item 1270213283, $104.99 per 100-ct box
.308 Win, item 1270187523, $70.99 per 100-ct box
Other Sources
Bruno Shooters Supply expects to have more Lapua brass within two weeks. Grafs.com expects another large shipment to arrive fairly soon as well.
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April 3rd, 2009
Congress has just approved a new $3.6 TRILLION dollar budget for fiscal 2010. This will include $1.75 trillion in deficit spending according to independent analysts (though House Democrats assert the deficit will only be $1.2 trillion). The budget was approved on party lines. No Republicans voted for the budget. In the Senate, the budget was approved 55-43, while in the House of Representatives the vote was was 233-196, with 20 Democrats dissenting.
With the U.S. population estimated at 305,529,237 as of 1/1/2009, (U.S. Census Bureau data), President Obama’s $3.6 TRILLION budget represents a historically unprecedented level of spending (and borrowing) per capita. Check out them zeros: $3,600,000,000,000.00!
The 2010 Federal Budget works out to $11,783.00 for every man, woman, and child in the United States, and represents $30,635.00 per household. This figure ($30,635) is 61% of the median American household income.*
A Trillion Here, a Trillion There…
For many Americans, the scale of the numbers being tossed around by Washington politicos is hard to comprehend. To put things in perspective, PageTutor.com has created a handy visualization of what one trillion dollars would look like, in stacked $100.00 bills. Here, for starters, is a mere $100,000,000:
The image below shows one Trillion dollars ($1,000,000,000,000) in stacked $100.00 bills. (Pallets are double-tiered). To give you a sense of scale, the little red figure in the lower left corner is a human, the same guy in the picture above. Is your mind sufficiently boggled now?
How Much is a Trillion?
Here are some other interesting Trillion-dollar calculations, offered by Doug Furton, a physics Professor at Grand Valley State University:
• 1 trillion dollar bills stitched together end to end in a line would stretch about 94 million miles — a bit more than the distance from earth to the sun.
• 1 trillion dollar bills stitched together to form a quilt would cover an area about the size of the state of Connecticut.
• If we spent $1.00 every second, it would take 32,000 YEARS to spend 1 trillion dollars.
How about repaying the $1.75 trillion dollars Congress intends to borrow in fiscal 2010? Think that will be easy? Think again. Prof. Furton explains: “If we borrowed 1 trillion dollars at 6% APR with terms similar to a conventional home loan the debt would accumulate interest at a rate of $1929 per second. If we paid the debt off at the rate of $2000 per second we could discharge it in about 56 years — a working lifetime. By the end of this massive loan we would have paid a total of nearly 3.5 trillion dollars, putting a tidy 2.5 trillion dollars in the coffers of whoever made us the loan”.
*According to the Census Bureau, the average American Household size is 2.6 persons. U.S. Median Household Income is $50,233.00, last officially calculated in 2007.
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