I met an old man today — 88 years old. On his head was a cap that said “Viet Nam Veteran”. I stopped to thank him for his service, and shake his hand. Though he walked with a cane, his grip was firm and his eyes revealed an inner strength.
Pointing to his cap, I said “my brother served there too, in the Delta.” He nodded and said, “I was at Phu Bai — Marines”. Then he touched his cap and said… “of course that was the third time for me. World War II… Korea… Viet Nam”.
Three wars… in three decades. That’s dedication. That’s sacrifice. As we parted, he smiled and said, “You know it’s the Marine Corps’ Birthday today.” “Indeed it is”, I answered, “today’s the 236th anniversary of the Corps. I bet you’re proud.” He paused, and then said… “Proud? Yes… but pride is just part of it, son… just part.”
Are you looking for a holiday gift for a dedicated shooter/gun collector who has everything? Have a look at this hand-made “gun jewelry” from Todd Clark Designs. The gentleman shooter might want a set of cartridge-shell cuff-links, or maybe a sterling silver money clip with cartridge-head stud. For ladies, Todd Clark offers earrings, bracelets, and even necklaces.
Todd Clark Designs offers a variety of other products including tie tacks, key-fobs, bubble-level necklaces, cartridge head bracelets, and circular level cuff links. Todd Clark items range in price from $30.00 for a tie-tack to $600.00 for a sterling silver, cartridge-studded bracelet. But, most items are in the $50.00 – $80.00 range. This may give our readers some Christmas gift-giving ideas.
Now through 11/30/2011, MidwayUSA has Frankford Arsenal 6″ Digital Calipers on sale for just $12.99. These stainless steel calipers feature a high-contrast LCD readout, and they ship with a fitted plastic case and 1.55 volt battery. With the touch of a button the tool switches from inch units to Metric units and back again. Claimed measuring accuracy (resolution) is +/- .001″.
We’ve used Frankford Arsenal calipers before. Though they won’t compare to a Mitutoyo, they are adequate for many basic reloading tasks (and measuring targets). You can use these as a backup tool carried in your range bag or vehicle glovebox. These calipers could also make perfect stocking stuffers for family members or shooting buddies who reload. Unlike some of the no-name electronic calipers sold on eBay or at Harbor Freight, these $12.99 Frankford Arsenal calipers are CE-Certified and have a one-year warranty against manufacturing defects.
Smith & Wesson has announced a recall of recently-made Thompson/Center (T/C) Venture rifles due to a potential defect involving the sears on some Venture rifles produced from August 1, 2011 to October 28, 2011. The text of S&W’s Recall Notice, along with a link to the list of serial numbers of affected T/C Venture rifles, are provided below.
SAFETY RECALL NOTICE – November 7, 2011
DESCRIPTION OF THE HAZARD:
During an internal technical review, Smith & Wesson determined that some of the sears used on Venture rifles produced from August 1, 2011 to October 28, 2011, may not have been manufactured to specification. Because the sear is an important part of the firing mechanism, we are asking that all of the rifles produced during this time period be returned to Smith & Wesson so that the firearm can be inspected by our technicians to ensure that the rifle operates in a safe and appropriate manner.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT INVOLVED:
This recall applies only to Venture rifles manufactured from August 1, 2011 to October 28, 2011. To determine if your rifle is affected, please reference the serial number list located at the link below or by calling Smith & Wesson directly at 1-800-713-0356. If your serial number does not fall within the list of affected serial numbers, your rifle is not part of this recall. CLICK HERE For List of Recalled Serial Numbers.
REMEDY/ACTION TO BE TAKEN: STOP USING YOUR RIFLE. Any unintended discharge of a firearm has the potential to cause injury, and we ask that you stop using your rifle until we have an opportunity to inspect the sear to make certain that there is no condition which will allow the rifle to fire without the trigger being pulled.
To facilitate the inspection and repair, if necessary, of your rifle sear, please contact Smith & Wesson’s customer service department to receive instructions and a prepaid return label for the return of your rifle to Smith & Wesson.
When you return your rifle to Smith & Wesson, be sure to attach the completed information card received from Smith & Wesson, so that your sear can be inspected and repaired, and returned to you as quickly and efficiently as possible.
CONSUMER CONTACT:
Please contact Smith & Wesson directly at 1-800-713-0356, or at venturerecall@smith-wesson.com to arrange for the inspection and repair, if necessary, of your rifle.
Recently, Berger released two new .30 caliber Hybrid Target bullets, a 215-grainer and a 230-grainer. With this new pair of projectiles, Berger now offers .30 Cal Hybrids in weights of 155 gr, 168 gr, 185 gr, 200 gr, 215 gr, and 230 grains. These bullets use a Hybrid nose designed by Bryan Litz to optimize long-range performance and enhance “tunability”. The Hybrid nose starts with a tangent shape and transitions into a secant shape. This allows these bullets to be much less seating-depth sensitive (than the VLD) while at the same time the secant portion reduces drag (for a higher BC). Berger’s Eric Stecker: “It is my understanding that each of these [new Hybrid] bullets has the highest BC of any bullets in their weight class. Combine this with being easier to tune and what you get is six new projectiles that raise the performance bar for .30 cal rifles.”
Berger Rolled Out 11 New Bullet Designs in 2011
This has been a busy year for Berger Bullets. It has introduced eleven (11) all-new projectile designs. In addition, Berger re-labeled two of its popular bullets. Here’s a summary of the new offerings:
6mm 105 gr Hybrid Target
.30 cal 155 gr Hybrid Target
.30 cal 168 gr Hybrid Target
.30 cal 185 gr Juggernaut Target (Name change — this was formerly called the 185 gr Long Range BT.)
.30 cal 185 gr Hybrid Target
.30 cal 200 gr Hybrid Target
.30 cal 215 gr Hybrid Target
.30 Cal 230 gr Hybrid Target
.22 Cal 77 gr OTM Tactical (Name change — this is the same bullet as the .22 cal 77 gr BT Target, but it’s new to the Tactical line).
.30 Cal 175 gr OTM Tactical (designed for .308 Win to be a transonic-stable option.)
.30 Cal 185 gr Juggernaut OTM Tactical (designed as a transonic-stable option for the 300 Win Mag.)
.30 Cal 230 gr Hybrid OTM Tactical (designed as a supersonic option for the 300 Win Mag.)
.338 Cal 300 gr Hybrid OTM Tactical (this is the redesigned Gen 2 version.)
Shoot, the much-awaited book by Julie Golob, will be released in early 2012, and it can be pre-ordered from Amazon.com. Julie, Captain of the Team Smith & Wesson Shooting Team, is one of the best lady pistol shooters on the planet. Her new book Shoot: Your Guide to Shooting and Competition covers the training programs and match strategies that have enabled Julie to win multiple World and National action pistol championships. One of the most well-rounded competitors on the pro shooting circuit, Julie has won national and world titles in seven different shooting disciplines.
This champion, veteran, wife and mother is also an accomplished author, writing about the shooting sports in shooting publications, newswires, and internet blogs. In February, 2012, Skyhorse Publishing will release Julie’s first book, Shoot: Your Guide to Shooting and Competition. The book serves as both an introduction to firearms and shooting for novices (with an emphasis on safety) and a primer to help experienced shooters improve their skills.
According to the Shooting Wire, “rumor has it (or is it wishful thinking?) that there might be some copies [of Julie’s new book] floating around at SHOT Show [in January]. Either way, be sure to reserve your copy today.”
Here’s a new product that would be a great starter rifle for kids and a perfect training rifle for CMP M1 Carbine matches. Legacy Sports recently announced their new Citadel M-1.22 rifle, a .22 LR rimfire clone of the legendary M1 Carbine (which was chambered in .30 Carbine, essentially a rimless version of the .32 Winchester Self-Loading cartridge). Size, weight, and balance of the Citadel M-1.22 are very similar to the real thing. Legacy’s new rendition is set up to shoot the popular, inexpensive .22 LR round. The new Citadel M-1.22 rifle is made in Italy by Chiappa Firearms (Armi Sport). The rimfire M-1.22 features a blow-back action, an 18″-long, 1:16″ twist barrel, fixed front sight and adjustable rear sight. It will come with 10-round magazines, in either a wood stock version at $391.00 (item #CIR22M1W) or synthetic stock version at $331.00 (item #CIR22M1S).
We think the M-1.22 will be a popular Christmas gift item and, as noted already, it is an ideal “cross-training” firearm for CMP Carbine Match competitors. Learn more about the new Citadel M-1.22 at the LegacySports website. In the near future, M-1.22 rifles can be purchased through GalleryofGuns.com.
CMP M1 Carbine Matches — Growing in Popularity
The CMP M1 Carbine Match is part of the CMP Games program that already includes Garand, Springfield and Vintage Military Rifle Matches. “As-issued” U. S. Military M1 Carbines are fired over a 45-shot course of fire at 100 yards on either the old military “A” target (or the SR target, if A targets prove to be too difficult to obtain). The course includes 5 sighters and 10 shots for record prone slow fire in 15 minutes, a 10-shot rapid fire prone series in 60 seconds, a 10-shot rapid fire sitting series in 60 seconds and 10 shots slow fire standing in 10 minutes. An M1 Carbine Match was fired during the National Matches in the early 1950s, and now is back. As a CMP Games event, it also can now be conducted as a CMP-sanctioned competition.
There’s a new effort underway to support the Michigan Junior Shooters. The fund-raising campaign hopes to raise $500.00 by Christmas time. Bryan Litz is helping with the effort, donating $4.00 from the purchase price of copies of his book, Applied Ballistics for Long Range Shooting.
Bryan explains: “Funds raised in this campaign will be used to support all disciplines of rifle shooting for Michigan juniors including High Power, Long Range, and Smallbore. Funds will be used to offset costs of team T-shirts, entry fees, travel, housing, and so on. Basically, we are hoping to defray the expenses of competing at a higher level — costs which juniors often cannot cover on their own. I’ll be updating the ‘thermometer’ image as we approach our goal of $500.” Visit the Michigan Rifle and Pistol Association – Juniors WebLog to learn about the juniors’ participation in recent competitions.
The $4 donation per book applies for books sold directly from the Applied Ballistics website. Ordering direct is also the only way to order ‘autographed’ copies of the book.
Bryan adds: “Please consider this as a gift option for a fellow shooter, and to help support young people involved in the shooting sports.”
In the firearms business we are justifiably proud of the machining quality of high-end components. For example, a multi-flat BAT action with diamond fluted bolt is an impressive piece of machining. But if you want to see a truly amazing example of modern automated machining, watch the two videos below.
5-Axis Milling Magic
In the videos below, a modern, computer-controlled 5-axis milling machine produces a complete motorcycle helmet shell start to finish. Yes, the motorcycle helmet was milled out of one solid 120kg block of aluminum.
Every feature of the aluminum helmet was cut by machine — even the side vents and rear “50th Anniversary” logo and mesh grill”. The machines in use are 5-Axis hyperMILLs produced by Daishin Seiki Corp. of Japan.
Smith & Wesson is going to produce an AR15-type rifle chambered for the .300 Whisper cartridge. This will be an addition to S&W’s Military & Police (M&P) Rifle series. As the first production rifle in the AR platform to be chambered in .300 Whisper (and .300 AAC Blackout), the new rifle offers both sub-sonic and supersonic capabilities. Originally developed and pioneered by J.D. Jones of SSK Industries, the 300 Whisper is based on the .221 Rem Fireball case necked up to .308. Notably, S&W says its M&P15 .300 Whisper is compatible with both the .300 Whisper and the .300 AAC Blackout (BLK) cartridges. The latter is a SAAMI-standardized, trademark-free variant of the .300 Whisper.
Manufactured on the M&P15 (AR-clone) platform, S&W’s new semi-automatic .300 Whisper rifle features an 1 in 7.5” twist, 16″ chrome-moly barrel. Both the forged 7075 aluminum upper and lower receivers have been coated with a Realtree APG camo finish. Standard features include forward assist and a six-position, collapsible CAR stock. MSRP for the complete rifle is $1,119. A separate .300 Whisper AR flat-top upper will also be offered, with an $819.00 MSRP.
“As the popularity of the modern sporting rifle continues to grow, more hunters are seeing the advantages of taking these firearms into the field,” said Mario Pasantes, S&W Senior Vice President of Marketing. “The M&P15 300 Whisper gives consumers the ability to use either lightweight or heavy cartridges during hunting or recreational applications without changing rifles or barrels.”
Is Hunting the Real Market for S&W’s .300 Whisper M&P15?
Editor’s Comment: If this gun is intended for hunting, we’re not sure Smith & Wesson got this one right. While the .300 Whisper is an interesting cartridge, it was originally designed to run sub-sonic, or be used with a suppressor. At sub-sonic velocities, the cartridge doesn’t pack much punch — not much more than a heavy pistol round. So you’re carrying around an 8-lb rifle (with optics) that only hits like a pistol. On the other hand, it can be loaded up to supersonic velocities, yielding ballistics similar to the .30-30.
But if you run it supersonic, why mess with this oddball cartridge at all? There are many other proven, game-killing chamberings for which a huge variety of inexpensive hunting ammo is widely available. (In fairness, .300 Whisper factory ammunition does exist. Hornady now offers both 1200 fps sub-sonic and 2375 fps supersonic .300 Whisper Ammo.)
Now the use of a .300 Whisper with a suppressor is intriguing. But, realistically, how many American hunters are going to get fingerprinted and pay the $200 tax for a suppressor, not to mention the hefty cost of the suppressor itself? As for the rifle configuration, a 16″ barrel is quite short for a hunting gun, and a wobbly first-gen collapsible stock that rattles is the last thing we’d want to take hunting.
Our guess is that most purchasers of this rifle will simply use it for plinking or tactical games, where the low recoil and long barrel life associated with the .300 Whisper will be welcome. One source suggests that the .300 Whisper has become popular with metallic silhouette shooters due to its low recoil and high accuracy. However we doubt you’ll be seeing many M&P15s on the silhouette course, given the funky, collapsible buttstock and short sight radius. (Under NRA Rules, AR15-type rifles are eligible for metallic silhouette competition under rule 3.1.2, but they must use “standard type stock[s]”.)
Story Tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
I met an old man today — 88 years old. On his head was a cap that said “Viet Nam Veteran”. I stopped to thank him for his service, and shake his hand. Though he walked with a cane, his grip was firm and his eyes revealed an inner strength.
Recently, 
5-Axis Milling Magic
But if you run it supersonic, why mess with this oddball cartridge at all? There are many other proven, game-killing chamberings for which a huge variety of inexpensive hunting ammo is widely available. (In fairness, .300 Whisper factory ammunition does exist. Hornady now offers both 1200 fps sub-sonic and 2375 fps supersonic 
Our guess is that most purchasers of this rifle will simply use it for plinking or tactical games, where the low recoil and long barrel life associated with the .300 Whisper will be welcome. One source suggests that the .300 Whisper has become popular with metallic silhouette shooters due to its low recoil and high accuracy. However we doubt you’ll be seeing many M&P15s on the silhouette course, given the funky, collapsible buttstock and short sight radius. (Under 
