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June 17th, 2010
Hand-loaders know how to assemble bullet, brass, powder and primer into a loaded cartridge. But have you ever wondered how brass cartridge cases are formed, or how bullets are made, starting with raw materials? Federal Ammunition (a division of ATK) has created an interesting video that shows how factory-loaded ammo is created, from start to finish. The video shows how cartridge brass is cupped, drawn, sized, annealed, then finished-formed. In addition, you can see how bullets are formed then inserted in cartridges with automated machinery. This is a fascinating video, worth watching.
Bullet-Making Process at the Sierra Bullets Plant
A second video, produced for the Discovery Channel’s How Stuff Works TV show, illustrates how bullets are made at the Sierra Bullets plant. Watch 80-lb billets of lead being drawn into wire to be used as bullet cores. Then see how copper jackets are formed, lubed, sized and combined with bullet cores to create the finished product — precision bullets for hunters and match shooters.
Thanks to German Salazar for finding these two videos.
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June 16th, 2010
Chip Lohman, Managing Editor of Shooting Sports USA magazine, has crafted an interesting YouTube video covering the inaugural NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championships, held this past April at Purdue University. The video shows all phases of the event — sign-ups, gun inspection/weighing, 3-position competition, and the awarding of prizes. The Univ. of Michigan (Ann Arbor) team won the event, followed by Clemson (second place), and Indiana Univ. of PA (third).
Every month Shooting Sports USA provides coverage of a wide variety of NRA disciplines, from 10m air pistol to 1000-yard high power matches. Each monthly edition provides features stories, plus schedules for matches nationwide. CLICK HERE to receive a FREE digital edition of Shooting Sports USA, sent directly to your e-mail box each month.
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June 15th, 2010
The NSSF warns that New York legislators may soon pass Senate Bill 6005A requiring microstamping on firearms. A vote on S. 6005A in the New York State Senate could happen “at any time”. According to the NSSF, New York City politicians, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, are trying to bully state Senators into voting for microstamping legislation. This is despite the fact that California cannot implement its microstamping law because no reliable, non-proprietary technology exists. We reported in January that California’s microstamping program, slated to take effect New Year’s Day (2010), is “Dead on Arrival” because the technology remains encumbered by patents. Read More About California Microstamping.
What Can Happen if NY Mandates Microstamping
In New York, anti-gun legislators are trying to force taxpayers to spend millions on expensive new high-tech scanning electron microscopes and patented bar code reading equipment in support of microstamping. Microstamping is a patented, sole-sourced technology that independent studies, including those from the National Academy of Sciences and the University of California at Davis, proved to be flawed and easily defeated by criminals in mere seconds.
The NSSF Cautions: “If Senate Bill 6005A passes in New York, firearms manufacturers would be forced to abandon the New York market rather than spend the astronomical sums of money necessary to completely reconfigure their manufacturing and assembly processes. In addition, this bill could result in hundreds of layoffs for New York workers as firearm factories consider moving out of the state. With Mayor Bloomberg and his cronies ratcheting up the pressure on key Senators, it is imperative that sportsmen, hunters and gun-owners [contact] their state Senator and urge him or her to oppose Senate Bill 6005A.”
Learn more about microstamping by viewing the NSSF Microstamping Fact Sheet.
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June 15th, 2010
Bushnell Inc. and Leupold & Stevens have settled their respective lawsuits relating to the Leupold True Ballistic Range® (TBR) technology, and the Bushnell Angle Range Compensation (ARC) technology. So ends the legal battle of competing angle-compensation indication systems. In February, Leupold & Stevens sued Burris, Bushnell, and Zeiss for patent infringement in federal court for the District of Oregon. Then, in a separate action in the District of Kansas, Bushnell sued Leupold & Stevens for patent infringement. This week, after months of negotiations, the two companies dismissed their claims against each other, the two sides having reached an amicable settlement. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but neither company will be required to discontinue selling any of its products.
“We are pleased with the settlement, because it allows our customers to go on using and enjoying Bushnell laser rangefinders with our patented ARC technology, and we can focus our resources and energy on further developing and marketing new and innovative products,” said Phil Gyori, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Bushnell.
Previously, in March, Leupold removed Carl Zeiss Optical from Leupold’s patent suit. Though originally named as a defendant, Zeiss was dismissed from the suit because its products do NOT incorporate an inclinometer to compensate for angled shots. The inclinometer is a key element of Leupold’s patent.
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June 14th, 2010
The 2010 NRA National Junior Air Gun Championships and Training Summit will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from June 23-26, 2010. The competition will take place at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The event is open to ALL junior shooters under the age of 21, who are placed in Sub-Junior, Intermediate Junior, or Junior classes according to age. There are three equipment divisions: Sporter Air Rifle, Precision Air Rifle, and Air Pistol. Participants may shoot as individuals or as part of a four-person team. There are four team categories: School Team, Military Scholastic, Local club, or State Association. CLICK HERE for Rifle Match Program and Schedule.
This year 150 junior shooters from 15 states will travel to Albuquerque to compete and participate in the Training Summit. Open to shooters, coaches, and parents, the Training Summit offers informational seminars on a variety of topics including mental and physical conditioning, sports nutrition, position training, and collegiate shooting opportunities. “We’re excited to bring this year’s National Junior Air Gun Championship and Training Summit to Albuquerque,” said Jessica McClain, NRA Air Gun Coordinator. “We have competitors traveling from all across the country to see how they measure up to other air gun shooters on a national level.”
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June 13th, 2010
On June 12, 2010, at the Piedmont Range in Rutherfordton, NC, Sam Hall, shooting a 6mm Dasher, set TWO new pending IBS 600-yard world records with a stunning 0.686″ five-shot group. The group was centered up in the Ten Ring for 50 points with two doubles! This group should give Sam both the single target IBS Light Gun small group record AND the Light Gun score record. Sam’s 0.686″ beats Paul Wagoner’s 0.711″ previous small-group record set in 2008 with a 6 BRX. Larry Isenhour previously held the IBS score record with a 50-3X (0.944″) group shot in August, 2007, also with a 6 BRX. NOTE: Sam had only one X, but the official tie-breaker for the score record is group size, not X-count. Therefore, if approved, Sam’s 0.686″ group establishes both new group size and score records. (We wish the IBS had some other official recognition for high X-count.)
Record-Setting Chambering, Load, and Hardware
Sam was shooting a 6mm Dasher with 32.0 grains of Norma 203B powder, Berger 105gr VLD bullets (unpointed), CCI 450 primers and Lapua brass, neck turned to 0.266″ for a 0.268″-necked chamber. Regarding the choice of powder, Sam says Reloder 15 gives the same accuracy and speed as 203B but he “just happed to have 8 pounds of [203B] and decided to use it in this rifle.” Interestingly, Sam was jumping his 105s about forty thousandths. That’s right, .040″ OFF the lands. The record gun has a BAT MB action, Shehane Tracker stock, and Krieger 29″, .237″ bore, 1:8″ twist HV barrel.
Here is Sam’s report from Piedmont:
Shooting the Record — Conditions and Strategy
The afternoon was slightly overcast with mild mirage. Winds were running left to right at approximately 5 mph. During the afternoon I noticed the wind would stay in one direction for several minutes then would make a complete reversal. On my record round I had made four (4) shots when I noticed the wind picking up in intensity slightly from left to right. I knew this because I saw my wind flag Daisy wheels start spinning faster. For the fifth shot I held left one inch from my previous four shots and let it fly. I was shooting the string as fast as I could and stay smooth. I was expecting a reversal because the wind has stayed constant for too long — it was about time for a reversal.
Evidently holding off was smart — otherwise the group might have been a 1.686″! This year I have been concentrating on learning more on wind and mirage reading. This game is getting more competitive every year. I figure the only way I can stay ahead is to work on my wind reading. If you don’t read the wind, you are eventually going to get bit.
About my Light Gun
I was shooting a BAT 1.550″ round, dual-port MB action with non-fluted bolt. The stock is a Shehane fiberglass ST-1000, pillar-bedded by Tom Meredith. Tom epoxied lead shot in the butt to bring it up to 16.94 lbs. with a Leupold 40x competition scope. The barrel is a 29″, 8-twist, .237″, HV contour Krieger with a Vais muzzle brake. This barrel, purchased three years ago from Brunos, came off the Terry Leonard-stocked rifle that earned me a lot of Shooter of the Year (SOY) points in 2009. It has about 700 rounds on it. It started life as a 6BR, but my reamer had gotten dull and left a rough chamber. So I gave the barrel to Mike Davis and told him this was a perfect excuse for me to try a 6mm Dasher. The barrel is now chambered as a 6mm Dasher with a .268″ neck with .124 freebore, the same as my Maxi-Tracker 6 Dasher.
Load Details — Yes I Was Jumping Berger VLDs a Country Mile
Last year, I could not get the Berger 105 VLDs to shoot like I wanted in this barrel, so I used Berger 108 BTs, jumped .015″. After last season, I tried the 105 VLDs again. I think they have a slight advantage in the wind compared to the 108s. But again the 105s would not shoot well at 600 jammed in the rifling as I normally do. I noticed this barrel was shooting better off the rifling. I kept backing the bullets off the rifling. I found a sweet spot 40 thousandths off the rifling. The gun was shooting 1 to 1.5 inch groups pretty consistently at 600 yards at my home range. The day I shot the record was the first time I had shot this load and rifle in competition. I believe it is a keeper! — Sam Hall
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June 13th, 2010
 In December 2009, President Obama signed a transportation funding bill that included a provision allowing Amtrak passengers to bring firearms aboard trains — provided the arms are stowed in locked, checked baggage.
Amtrak’s gun ban was instituted after the 9/11/2001 terrorist attack. The 2009 legislation will restore rail riders’ rights that existed prior to “9/11″. Amtrak has until December to put the new law into effect, and Amtrak is obliged to deliver an implementation plan to Congress next week.
Amtrak officials have resisted the new policy on gun transport from the beginning, pointing to a shortage of funding. However, just last week, on 6/10/2010, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) removed any “wiggle room” for Amtrak. The GAO held that the legislation obligating Amtrak to carry firearms was “permanent law”, erasing doubts that Amtrak would have to comply. The amendment (to the 2009 funding bill) which obliges Amtrak to resume firearms carriage was authored by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS). Senator Wicker explained the purpose of his amendment: “Sportsmen who would like to use an Amtrak train for hunting trips cannot do so because they are not allowed to bring a firearm in checked luggage, something that is done every day at airports across our country.”
How does all this shake-out for shooters traveling by rail? Amtrak’s current policy still prohibits carriage of firearms on trains, and that won’t change until December, 2010. Below is the language of Amtrak’s stated rules regarding transport of firearms:
AMTRAK Baggage Policy — Firearms in Checked Baggage
Amtrak’s current policy prohibits all firearms, ammunition and other weapons aboard its trains. This includes any being carried on the person, in carry-on baggage, or in checked baggage. Please be advised that this policy remains in effect until Amtrak begins firearm carriage service by December 2010.
The Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010, enacted into law on December 16, 2009, requires Amtrak to implement the procedures necessary to provide storage and carriage of firearms in checked baggage cars and at Amtrak stations that accept checked baggage, within one year of the bill’s enactment. This requirement applies solely to checked baggage, not carry-on baggage.
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June 12th, 2010
 In the wake of a tragic, multiple shooting in Cumbria, England, there have been renewed calls for yet MORE gun bans in the UK. But it remains to be seen how much further the Brits can go without banning virtually all firearms. The Cumbria shooter was armed with an ordinary shotgun. Britain has already banned handguns and revolvers, banned self-loading and pump-action rifles, and banned most shotguns that hold more than two shells. The Brits have even banned Airsoft-type toy guns. The UK’s Violent Crime Reduction Act of 2006 made it a crime to manufacture, import or sell realistic imitation guns, and doubled the maximum sentence for carrying an imitation gun to 12 months. In Britain, it is even against the law to fire an air weapon beyond the boundary of any premises.
Can Britain prevent future mass shootings by banning yet more classes of firearms (whatever that might be)? Recent history suggests the answer is no. In Europe, some of the worst multiple-victim shootings occurred in those countries with the tightest restrictions on firearms. In the UK, to acquire a shotgun, one must go through a police interview, show “good reason” to own the shotgun, and then obtain a police-issued certificate. The police then visit the applicant’s home to verify the shotgun will be securely stored.
Lott Says More Gun Bans Won’t Solve Problem
Professor John Lott, author of More Guns, Less Crime, has written an interesting essay for the National Review Online. In that article, Lott analyzes the history of recent mass shootings in Europe. What he has found is that virtually all of these shootings have occurred in locations where it is illegal for private citizens to wield guns for self-protection. Lott suggests, therefore, that the problem of mass shootings will not be solved by more gun control… so long as potential victims are rendered defenseless by laws restricting the right to armed self-defense. Lott writes: “Look at recent history… all of the [multiple-victim public shootings in Western Europe] occurred in gun-free zones — places where guns in the hands of civilians are outlawed.” Here is Prof. Lott’s summary:
Contrary to public perception, Western Europe, most of whose countries have much tougher gun laws than the United States, has experienced many of the worst multiple-victim public shootings. Particularly telling, all the multiple-victim public shootings in Western Europe have occurred in places where civilians are not permitted to carry guns. The same is true in the United States: All the public shootings in which more than three people have been killed have occurred in places where civilians may not legally bring guns.
Large multiple-victim public shootings are exceedingly rare events, but they garner massive news attention, and the misperceptions they produce are hard to erase. When I have been interviewed by foreign journalists, even German ones, they usually start off by asking why multiple-victim public shootings are such an American problem. And of course, they are astonished when I remind them of the attacks in their own countries and point out that this is not an American problem, it is a universal problem, but with a common factor: The attacks occur in public places where civilians are banned from carrying guns. — John Lott
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June 12th, 2010
 Why is it vital to get more women involved in the shooting sports? Consider this: in recent state and federal elections there has been a significant gender gap in voting patterns. Compared to men, a much higher percentage of women (particularly unmarried women) vote for liberal anti-gun candidates. For example, 56 percent of women voted for Obama versus 49 percent of men. In recent years, anti-gun politicians have relied on this gender gap to secure electoral victories. If we want to reverse this trend, we need to increase the number of women who look favorably on Second Amendment rights and the shooting sports.
 That’s why we were pleased to learn about a milestone reached by the NRA’s Women on Target (WOT) program which runs instructional shooting clinics for women. Women on Target Clinic Coordinator Elizabeth Hellmann recently revealed that the Women on Target program has passed the 50K mark: “As of [6/9/2010], more than 50,000 women have attended clinics… Please raise your coffee mugs and join me in saying, ‘Here’s to the next 50,000 happy customers!'”
If you want to Host a Women’s Clinic at your Club, the NRA website offers info on Instructional Shooting Clinics and other Women on Target programs, such as women’s-only hunts.
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June 11th, 2010
Imagine a riflescope that could sense target distance and shift from wide field-of-view/low magnification for closer shots to higher magnification for longer-range shots. Just think of the benefits for a hunter. He could just place his cross-hairs on a buck and the scope would automatically zoom to the optimal magnification. Does this sound like science fiction?
 Well the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is betting millions of tax dollars that an auto-adjusting rifle scope will soon be science FACT. DARPA recently awarded Lockheed Martin a $3.93 contract to develop a “next generation” Dynamic Image Gunsight Optic, aka DInGO. The DInGO scope automatically calculates the range with a low power laser rangefinder, digitally zooms in on it and accounts for environmental conditions such as wind using sensors built into the scope. It then projects the bullet’s point-of-impact calculated from the embedded ballistics computer. DInGO is based on Lockheed Martin’s One Shot Advanced Sighting System, which utilizes similar technology to automatically transmit crosswind information to a sniper’s scope and move the crosshairs to show the corrected point of aim.
“Current scopes are optimized for a single target range, impacting soldiers’ effectiveness and survivability when engaging targets at different distances,” said Dan Schultz, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems & Sensors Ship & Aviation Systems business. “DInGO will solve this problem, significantly increasing soldiers’ ability to rapidly reconfigure optics for use from short to long ranges and improving marksmanship capabilities for all soldiers.”
While DInGo scope technology will first be implemented for the military on M-4 and M-16 rifles, eventually this automatic ranging/zooming system could be adapted to hunting rifles. Such a system would be great for game hunters. When the prey appears at close range, the scope would provide a relatively low magnification level for enhanced field of view. If the animal was much farther away, the scope would autmatically increase magnification to allow more precise aiming. Hopefully this will be one example of military technology “trickling down” to the general public for sporting use.
Other Scopes with Built-In Laser Rangefinders
Both Burris and Zeiss currently offer hunting scopes with integrated laser-rangefinders that calculate holdover, based on target distance. The Burris Eliminator even projects the calculated aiming (hold) point as a red dot on the vertical crosshair. Shown below is the view through the lens of the Burris Eliminator scope, with the red dot showing holding point. Just place the red dot on the center of the target and pull the trigger. However, neither the Burris nor Zeiss rangefinding scopes automatically adjust magnification/field of view. Zooming in or out must still be done manually. That’s where the DInGO system offers something radically new.
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June 11th, 2010
With the increased activity in our AccurateShooter.com Forum, which now boasts nearly 11,300 members, we’ve added a new category for optics in our FREE Classifieds. Previously, ads for optics, sights, rings etc. were included in our miscellaneous category. The new optics Classifieds category can be used for sale, trade, and WTB listings for rifle scopes, sights, spotting scopes, red dot sights, laser rangefinders (LRFs), rings, bases, scope rails, scope level devices, target-cams, and all optics/sighting accessories. Our Forum Classifieds are very effective. Good products, at a fair price, sell fast.
Feedback System for Forum Classifieds Buyers and Sellers
With all our Classifieds categories, ads are free to registered Forum members*. For regular individual (non-business) members, there are no fees to advertise a product, and no fees on sales. To provide assurance to buyers and sellers, we have a Feedback System. When browsing ad postings, click the Trade Count number after a member’s name to read feedback on that user’s previous performance as both buyer and seller.
If you do decide to list an item for sale, we strongly recommend you include photos of the product. CLICK HERE for step-by-step instructions that show you how to include photos in your advert.
*Free Forum Classifieds are for individual members, for their personal, non-business use. Businesses may place classifieds, but only if they are supporting sponsors or active advertisers with the site.
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June 11th, 2010
We know many of our readers will be headed off to Camp Perry, Ohio for the NRA National Rifle Championships soon. To succeed at Perry, given the high level of competition, you’ll need solid wind-reading abilities. We’ve found an article by Sgt. 1st Class Emil Praslick III, USAMU Service Rifle coach, that can help you make better wind calls in competition.
SFC Praslick is considered one of the best wind gurus in the United States, if not the world. He has authored an excellent two-part article on wind reading that is available on the CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) website. Both articles contain helpful illustrations, and are “must-read” resources for any long-range shooter–not just Service Rifle and Highpower competitors.
Click to Read Articles:
Reading the Wind (Part One) | Reading the Wind (Part Two)
 Part One covers basic principles, tactics, and strategies, with a focus on the 200-yard stages. Emil writes: “There are as many dimensions to ‘wind reading’ as there are stages to High Power competition. Your tactical mindset, or philosophy, must be different for the 200 and 300 yard rapid-fire stages than it would be for the 600 yard slow-fire. In the slow-fire stages you have the ability to adjust windage from shot to shot, utilizing the location of the previous shot as an indicator. Additionally, a change to the existing conditions can be identified and adjusted for prior to shooting the next shot.”
In Part Two, Praslick provides more detailed explanations of the key principles of wind zeros, wind reading, and the “Clock System” for determining wind values: “The Value of the wind is as important as its speed when deciding the proper windage to place on the rifle. A 10 MPH wind from ’12 o-clock’ has No Value, hence it will not effect the flight of the bullet. A 10 MPH wind from ‘3 o’clock’, however, would be classified as Full Value. Failure to correct for a Full Value wind will surely result in a less than desirable result.”
Praslick also explains how to identify and evaluate mirage:
Determine the accuracy of the mirage. Mirage is the reflection of light through layers of air that have different temperatures than the ground. These layers are blown by the wind and can be monitored to detect wind direction and speed.
Focus your scope midway between yourself and the target, this will make mirage appear more prominent. I must emphasize the importance of experience when using mirage as a wind-reading tool. The best way to become proficient in the use of mirage is to correlate its appearance to a known condition. Using this as a baseline, changes in mirage can be equated to changes in the value of the wind. Above all, you must practice this skill!
Click HERE for more excellent instructional articles by Emil Praslick and other USAMU Coaches and shooters.
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