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May 26th, 2009
Robert Whitley has a new .224 version of the 6.5 Grendel cartridge. The goal was to create a low-recoil but high-BC round to use in AR-platform match rifles. Based on the performance Whitley is getting, we think this wildcat would also be an excellent bolt-gun round.
Whitley tells us: “I have recently been working on another 6.5 Grendel progeny I have made up and call the ‘.224 AR Mag’, which is the 6.5 Grendel case necked down to accept .224″ bullets. I am very impressed by this cartridge and Berger Bullets’ .224″ heavy, high-BC bullet offerings are just beautiful (dimensionally and otherwise) for use with the cartridge. I also have reloading dies for the .224 AR Mag and I am going to make up a page on my website for the sale of AR-15 uppers chambered in the .224 AR Mag.
Above you can see the new 224 AR Mag cartridge (right) next to a .223 Rem (left) and a Berger 82 gr BT bullet (right) next to a Sierra 77 gr BTHP bullet (left bullet). The Berger bullet has a good bit higher BC than the Sierra 77 BTHP (.432 BC for the Berger vs. .362 BC for the Sierra). In the 224 AR Mag, the Berger 82 gr BT bullet sits at 2.260″ OAL (.010″ off the lands and a perfect magazine length) with the junction of the boat tail and bearing surface just ahead of the neck and shoulder of the case. You cannot properly load the 82s to mag length in a .223 Rem because the case is so long the bearing surface of the bullet starts to disappear into the mouth of the case, and at magazine length the Sierra 77s sit so far back in the .223 Rem case they hog valuable powder capacity.
The .224 AR Mag has a powder capacity of 36 grains of H2O vs. about 29.5 grains of water weight capacity for the .223 Rem. That’s a major difference in powder capacity. In addition you have bullets like the .224 Berger 90gr VLD and 90gr BT bullets that have BCs of .552 and .525 that can be driven very effectively and fast by the .224 AR Mag because of its case capacity. Bear in mind the brass is all Lapua small primer brass as well — what’s not to like?
I have done chrono testing of the cartridge with Varget and RL-15, using the Berger 82 gr BT and the Berger 90 gr BT bullets. This cartridge really can spit them out fast! (See load data below).” NOTE: Whitley could drive both bullets about 100 fps faster using 28.0 grains of Varget or RL15, but those loads approached max practical pressure. Start low and work up.
Berger 82gr BT
27.0 grains Varget w/ Berger 82gr BT, MV = 2865 fps, ES = 29, SD = 14
27.0 grains RL-15 w/ Berger 82gr BT, MV = 2920 fps, ES = 15, SD = 7
Berger 90gr BT
27.0 grains Varget w/ Berger 90gr BT, MV = 2792 fps, ES = 26, SD = 12
27.0 grains RL-15 w/ Berger 90gr BT, MV = 2857 fps, ES = 12, SD = 6
CLICK HERE for Load Specs and Chron Testing Results (.pdf file).
May 25th, 2009
“…gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime….let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation’s gratitude — the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.”
–General John Logan, General Order No. 11, 5 May 1868
From USMemorialday.org:
The “Memorial” in Memorial Day has been ignored by too many of us who are beneficiaries of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Often we do not observe the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice. You can best honor those who died in the service of their country by…
– visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
– visiting memorial sites or attending memorial events.
– flying the U.S. flag at half-staff until noon (and by flying the ‘POW/MIA Flag’ as well).
– participating in a “National Moment of Remembrance” at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day.
- renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.
May 24th, 2009
Super Shoot Final Report
by Eric Stecker, Berger Bullets
Greetings from Sunny Ohio. Normally calling the weather “sunny” in North Lawrence, Ohio is sarcasm. During the last two days of the Super Shoot the word “sunny” is the best description of what shooters faced from Mother Nature. Day 3 provided some cloud cover in the morning which lasted for a while but was soon turned into bright and clear skies. High 40° temperatures and mid 80° highs was more of the same for those who were expecting the rains to come eventually. In case you haven’t heard yet, Tony Boyer was the big winner at this 37th Super Shoot. Congratulations to Tony Boyer for another impressive performance. Tony sets the bar for benchrest excellence.
 Boyer Wins Two-Gun and HV Grand Agg
Tony Boyer, already the top Benchrest Hall of Fame shooter in history (by quite a margin), won the Two-Gun Aggregate (Agg). Tony shot very consistently, with top five placements in most events. But he really hammered the HV 200-yard stage, with a brilliant 0.1846 Agg. Combined with his fine 100-yard HV shooting, that gave Tony an 0.1997 for the HV Grand Agg win. Lee Hachigan was the LV Grand Agg winner with a solid 0.2235. Lee finished third overall in the Two-Gun, behind Larry Costa:
1. Tony Boyer – .2191 Two-Gun Agg
2. Larry Costa – .2307 Two-Gun Agg
3. Lee Hachigan – .2503 Two-Gun Agg
4. Bill Symons – .2581 Two-Gun Agg
Tie 5. Larry Scharhorst – .2589 Two-Gun Agg
Tie 5. Bill Forester – .2589 Two-Gun Agg
Competitors tackled the Heavy Varmint stage at 200 yards on Friday. 200 yards is usually where Grand Aggs are won and lost during most BR matches and the 2009 Super Shoot this would be no exception. The following are the top five finishers in the Heavy Varmint 200-yard stage:
1. Tony Boyer – .1846 agg
2. Stan Bowerman – .2045 agg
3. Larry Costa – .2148 agg
4. Jim Carmichel – .2329
5. Chris Harris – .2343
Once the 200-yard stage was over the Heavy Varmint Grand Agg was determined. See if you don’t spot a few of those who did well at 200 yards in the following list of the top 5 of the Heavy Varmint Grand Agg.
1. Tony Boyer – .1997 HV Grand Agg
2. Larry Costa – .2235 HV Grand Agg
3. Stan Bowerman – .2432 HV Grand Agg
4. Greg Reed – .2461 HV Grand Agg
5. Wayne Campbell – .2464 HV Grand Agg
By the time the last day started the shooters were commenting on how the Super Shoot had not seen four clear, dry days in a row since 1995. There is little question that this year’s Super Shoot provided some of the best weather conditions we’ve had for some time. Temperatures were similar to previous days and winds continued to be tricky but not extreme.
The Light Varmint 200-yard stage gave us all a chance to break out the 10.5-lb guns again after two days of getting spoiled with the 13.5-pounders. Most folks were ready to shoot at 200 yards but a few shot flags indicated that some BR shooters still are working on which way to turn the knobs when the distance increases. The following is a list of the top 5 shooters who were on top of their adjustments for the Light Varmint 200-yard stage.
1. Steve Turner – .2085 agg
2. Jeff Stover – .2120 agg
3. Jeff Summers – .2137 agg
4. Tony Boyer – .2159 agg
5. Larry Costa – .2217 agg
Lee Hachigan Wins LV Grand Agg
The completion of this final stage provided the Super Shoot with not only a Light Varmint Grand Agg Champion but also a Two-Gun Champion. For those who have been keeping track of the top five in the lists so far some of the names you see below will be no surprise. Here are the top five in the Light Varmint Grand Agg.
1. Lee Hachigan – .2235 LV Grand Agg
2. Dave Coots – .2263 LV Grand Agg
3. Bill Symons – .2365 LV Grand Agg
4. Larry Costa – .2379 LV Grand Agg
5. Tony Boyer – .2385 LV Grand Agg
Final Thoughts — 1/4 MOA ‘All Day Long’
Another thought crosses my mind as I look at these scores. I hear many times how shooters who do not compete in Benchrest matches say that their rifles are capable of “1/4 MOA… all day long”. Take a look at these scores you will see that 1/4 MOA accuracy “all day long” would put you in the top three of the largest and (arguably) most competitive BR match in the country.
May 24th, 2009
We all know that certain popular powders are very hard to find right now, and the situation for rifle primers is even worse. With increased demand from various sources, available supplies of Varget and other powders have dried up, creating incentives for some folks to resell powder and primers at windfall prices.
Recently, one 8-lb jug of Hodgdon Varget sold for $680.00 on Gunbroker.com. You read that right — SIX hundred eighty dollars. Add $35 for shipping and hazmat fees and you’re talking $715.00 for a jug of Varget, or $89.38 per pound, nearly four times the going price before the “panic buying” started.
Eighty-nine bucks for a pound of powder is crazy. We caution our readers not to get caught up in such nonsense. First, if you can’t find a particular powder, such as Varget, there are good alternatives available at reasonable prices. Norma 203B is an outstanding powder, very similar to Reloder 15, that works well in place of Varget. Grafs.com has plenty of 1-lb cans of Norma 203B in stock, Item Number: NP203B1, priced at $24.99 per pound. (That price includes shipping but not Haz Mat fees.)
We also expect the supply situation to stabilize in the next few months. Hodgdon recently received 22,000 pounds of Varget powder. Those supplies (along with other Hodgdon powders) should make their way to vendors soon, and that should relieve some of the shortages which encourage price-gouging.
As for the primer situation, things should remain tight for a while. All the primer makers are running at full capacity, but it could be some months before we see normal primer inventories at most large retailers.
May 23rd, 2009
Champion’s line of DuraSeal™ targets won the NRA’s 2009 Golden Bullseye Award as American Rifleman’s “Accessory of the Year”. According to the NRA, “these auto-resetting targets handle varmint rifles and handguns, as well as many large-caliber rifles. This is the kind of product that makes shooting more fun.”
Champion’s DuraSeal Spinner Targets feature a non-metal, self-healing DuraSeal material. Weighing 80 percent less than metal equivalents, this space-age polymer material allows bullets to pass through the target, so the targets are “self-healing” and will survive hundreds of centerfire hits. We wish the wire support frame supports were a bit stronger — an errant shot CAN bend or break the wire supports, but the targets are still fun and inexpensive. DuraSeal targets range in price from $17.95 to $24.95 (MSRP).
These lightweight DuraSeal targets are much easier to haul to the range than armored steel gongs or poppers. They are useful for varmint silhouette practice and the single 5.5″ diamond is a good, challenging size for 600-yard precision rifle practice (provided you have a larger paper target to get zeroed at 600).
May 23rd, 2009
 Cabela’s is offering some huge discounts during its Memorial Day Sell-A-Thon that runs through May 25, 2009. Selected products are up to 60% off. Here are the latest hot deals we found. To get these Memorial Day Sale prices, CLICK THIS LINK.
Shooters’ Ridge Snap-N-Pull™ Cleaning Kit
Bargain Cave Item OG-229078
Reg: $24.99 | Sale Price: $9.88
This pull-through Cleaning Kit is available in .22-6mm or .270-.308 sizes for under ten bucks, including jags, brushes, bore mops, and pull-cable with handle. It is a good “field expedient” cleaning system for hunters or tactical shooters who can’t carry a full-length cleaning rod or bore guide. This system works pretty good, just be careful when you pull the metal snap-connectors out the muzzle. As with any pull-cord-type cleaning product, you want to pull straight out the muzzle — NOT at an angle. CLICK HERE to watch Cleaning Kit product video.
Gerber Method™ Multitool
Sale Item OG-517920
Reg: $49.99 | Sale: $34.88
If you’ve ever used a Gerber Multi-Tool, you know they work well. Gerber’s Method model offers all the attachments you could want with a comfortable steel and polymer handle. It is compact (6″ open or 4″ fully folded) and weighs just 8 ounces. On sale at just $34.88, it is half the price of an equivalent Leatherman tool.
Stoney Point Steady Stix™ II Shooting Sticks
Bargain Cave Item OG-222262
Reg: $37.99 | Sale: $22.88
Stoney Point’s Steady Stix™ are a very useful accessory for hunters and varminters. The lightweight but strong aluminum legs fold to 14″ for transport, assemble to 39″ with internal shock-cord system. The sale item is black, and includes a carry-sheath that fits to your belt. NOTE: These are designed for sitting or kneeling — they aren’t tall enough for standing shots.
Columbia River M18 Knife
Bargain Cave Item OG-518690
Reg: $39.99 | Sale: $19.88
This Editor has been very impressed with every Columbia River (CRKT) edged tool he’s tried. Build quality is high and the blades are strong and hold their edge. This M18 Carson knife features a 3.63″ AUS8 steel clip-point blade with Teflon® bearings at the blade pivot. The handle is hard-anodized T6 aluminum with black G10-type inlays. The M18 features Kit Carson signature touches such as the 180° circular pivot with dual thumb studs, and the “Carson Flipper” which speeds opening. This is a very nice knife for the money. You’ll find it elsewhere for up to $60.00. You may want to jump on this deal. I just bought FIVE of these, one for myself and four as Xmas gifts. Please watch the video for a detailed review, and an explanation of the locking system!
May 22nd, 2009
Super Shoot Report — First Two Days
Report by Eric Stecker, Berger Bullets
[Editor’s Note: At our request, Eric Stecker, Berger Bullets’ Master Bulletsmith, is sending us late-breaking news from the Super Shoot. Here is Eric’s report, hot off the wire.]
Heavy Varmint Top 20 Match Results CLICK HERE (.pdf file)
5/23 Update: Tony Boyer Won the HV Grand Agg (0.1997) and 200-yard Agg. Tony finished 2nd in 100-yard HV Agg, behind Gene Bukys.
Greetings from (or near) North Lawrence, OH and home of the Firearms Industry Super Shoot. Benchrest shooters from all over the globe are here to participate in this highly anticipated event. The Super Shoot is the largest BR match in the world. Opening Ceremonies started at 8:30 am Wednesday morning. Hall of Fame shooter Allie Euber was on hand to offer words of prayer for the event, shooters, our families and those in BR who we’ve lost over the year. Allie also offered some gracious comments about one of the PPC inventors, Ferris Pindell, who was able to be here and visit all his many friends.
The Super Shoot is ripe with tradition and most things are as they have been for some time. One exception is that long-time Range Master Jim Kelbly has been replaced by his son Ian Kelbly. After Ian called several matches I mentioned to Jim that if he lets Ian keep this up then Jim would be out of a job. He smiled and said “I sure hope so.” Ian is doing a fantastic job running the match.
Hachigan Tops 100-Yard LV Field
Wednesday greeted shooters with 45° temperatures which quickly warmed in Sunny Ohio to the mid 80s. Winds were present and shifty as they tend to be but not too much to be unpleasant but definitely enough to give most shooters fits. The folks listed below handled these winds and their rifle well and are the top five for the Light Varmint 100-yard stage. The record for the Light Varmint 100-yard Agg was set in 1999 by Bill Forrester at .1706. Bill’s record was safe but the 5-shot small group record of .046 set by Mike Walker in 1994 was seriously threatened by Bill Goad with a small group for the day of .048.
1. Lee Hachigan – .2094 agg
2. Dave Coots – .2154 agg
3. Andy Shifflett – .2194 agg
4. Milt Craven – .2264 agg
5. Larry Scharhorst – .2278 agg
Bukys Edges Boyer in HV 100
Conditions on Thursday for the Heavy Varmint 100-yard stage was much the same as Wednesday with a low in the morning of 47° which warmed up to the high 80s. Winds were also similar with tricky gusts and changes but nothing so strong that stuff was blowing off the benches. The top five after the Heavy Varmint 100-yard stage are below. Larry Kopper definitely shot well but finishing the 5th match with a small group for the day of .083 certainly helped push him into the top five. (The HV record is .062 by Hobbie Bonds.)
1. Gene Bukys – .2020 agg
2. Tony Boyer – .2148 agg
3. Greg Reed – .2158 agg
4. Bob Hammond – .2210 agg
5. Larry Kopper – .2282 agg
Many shooters here would say Thursday was a tough day and they are glad that the 100-yard stages are behind them. Friday the 22nd starts with the 200-yard Heavy Varmint where some 300+ shooters will try as best they can to rise to the top of the list for the HV Grand Agg win. More to come….
Photo of Borden Rimrock Benchrest Rifle courtesy Borden Rifles.
May 21st, 2009
Many of our readers have reported difficulty obtaining many of the popular Hodgdon powders such as H4895, H4350, and Varget. Well, here’s some good news. Natchez Shooters’ Supply recently received a large shipment of Hodgdon powder. Unfortunately Varget and H4350 are still out, but Natchez has Benchmark, H4895, Hybrid 100V, and Retumbo in stock. Natchez also has IMR 4198 and IMR 4007ssc. IMR powders are now distributed by Hodgdon.
NOTE: These products are listed in stock as of 8:00 am 5/21/09. They may sell out before you read this.
Hodgdon/IMR Rifle Powders In Stock at Natchez:
HDBM1 – BENCHMARK 1LB: $19.99
HDH3808 – H380 8LB: $124.98
HDH48951 – H4895 1LB: $19.99
HDHY1001 – HYBRID 100V 1LB: $18.49
HDHY1008 – HYBRID 100V 8LB: $128.99
HDRET1 – RETUMBO 1LB: $19.99
DU41981 – IMR 4198 1LB: $19.49
DU4007SSC8 – IMR 4007ssc 8LB: $134.49
Try 4007ssc for H4350 applications
Since H4350 is still hard to find, shooters may also want to consider substituting IMR 4007ssc for H4350. IMR 4007ssc is a very accurate powder in the 22-250, 6-6.5×47, 6XC, and Rem 260. Natchez has 8-lb kegs of IMR 4007ssc in stock and Powder Valley has 1-lb. containers of IMR 4007ssc in stock, as well as 1-lb bottles of H322, and Hybrid 100V.
 Norma 203B Available from Grafs.com — Replaces Varget or RL15
For those folks desperate to find Hodgdon Varget or Alliant Reloder 15, we suggest you try Norma 203B. This is a very accurate powder very close in performance to Reloder 15 (it is produced by the same manufacturer, Bofors). It should give slightly more velocity than Varget, but it is somewhat more temperature sensitive.
In a 6mmBR or .308 Win, start with your Varget load with 203B. You may, then, be able to increase the load slightly, unless you’ll be shooting in very hot weather. Grafs.com has plenty of 1-lb cans of Norma 203B in stock, Item Number: NP203B1, $24.99 per pound.
May 20th, 2009
“Shooters Ready? Commence Fire!”. This morning the nation’s top “point-blank” Benchrest shooters heard those commands as Kelbly’s Super Shoot kicked off. The Firearm Industry Super Shoot (FISS), the largest short-range benchrest match in North America, runs for four days, May 20-23, 2009 at the Kelbly range in North Lawrence, Ohio. This is a LV/HV match only. Here’s the shooting schedule: May 20 10.5-lb 100 yards; May 21 13.5-lb 100 yards; May 22 13.5-lb 200 yards; May 23 10.5-lb 200 yards. For more information, call (330) 683-4674 or click this Map to Range.
Hall of Famers Share Super Shoot Strategies
A while back we surveyed a number of top benchrest shooters, asking them for their advice on “How to Succeed at the Super Shoot.” CLICK HERE to read what Jim Borden, Wayne Campbell, Mickey Coleman, Allie Euber, Speedy Gonzalez, and Bart Sauter have to say.
READ Interviews with Top Benchrest Shooters
Famed bullet-maker Sauter (photo below) offered this advice for newcomers to the Super Shoot: “Go ahead and sign up for the cash option! A lot of new shooters don’t do it. A new shooter will often shoot several small groups, because they’ve worked hard on tuning their rifle. And one really small group could pay for their whole trip. I know a few shooters personally who did not sign up and lost some money.”
To do well at Super Shoot, Bart added: “It helps to get shots downrange quickly. I can usually send five in 15 seconds, and sometimes 12 seconds. That helps beat the conditions.” Good brass is very important: “Most of the better shooters will have a new set of brass for the match. The guys that shoot the same 100 pieces all year don’t normally win. I’ll use practice brass for tuning. The brass I take to a major match will have just 2-3 firings on it. You can’t win with brass that is less than optimal”.
May 19th, 2009
Sightron optics, particularly the new SIII 30mm series scopes, have been very popular with our readers. We recently tested the SIII 6-24×50 mildot scope and found that it offered outstanding clarity, sharpness, and tracking. A leader in its price class, the SIII 6-24×50 rivals some scopes costing hundreds of dollars more.
Three 6-24 Sightron Scope Models Now Offered
With the introduction of the SIII 30mm 6-24×50 Sightron, Sightron now offers THREE 6-24 power zoom rifle-scopes. This has created some confusion among buyers. Readers often ask us: “What is the difference between the SII 6-24, the Big Sky 6-24, and the new SIII 6-24?” At the NRA Annual meeting in Phoenix, AZ, we meet with Alan Orr, Sightron Product Manager. In the video below, Alan was kind enough to explain the differences among the three Sightron 6-24s. You’ll note that the three scopes offer different amounts of total windage and elevation travel, plus the amount of elevation per rotation is different. Also, the older SII 6-24 runs about $400.00, while the new SIII 30mm 6-24×56 sells for about $825.00. Watch the Sightron Video to learn more.
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