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September 5th, 2011
Our Shooters’ Forum is one of the most popular features of the AccurateShooter.com website. On September 4th, our Forum registered our 15,000th Forum member — a significant milestone. Since its debut in 2004, our Shooters’ Forum has grown to become one of the most active precision shooting message boards on the internet. The Forum offers a wealth of information, and we provide FREE classified ads for registered members.
Serious shooters from around the world rely on our Shooters’ Forum for answers to questions about precision shooting, reloading, and varmint hunting. You’ll get the “straight scoop” on shooting gear from Forum members who post their real-world experiences with reloading components, barrels, optics and other hardware. Many champion shooters participate in our Forum, and you’ll also find helpful advice on rifle projects in the Forum’s gunsmithing section. If you’re looking for great deals on rifles, barrels, stocks, optics, and shooting accessories, check out our Reader Classifieds. The latest Classifieds are also posted on the AccurateShooter.com home page.
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September 4th, 2011
The 2011 International Sniper Competition and Symposium will be held September 26-30, 2011 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Two-man teams from all over the world will compete in 10 to 15 sniper-related events. The events will test competitors’ physical fitness and sniper skills including: target detection, target discrimination, stalking, land navigation, and marksmanship. The teams represent active-duty Army units, the Army National Guard, U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Air Force, Pentagon Defense Police, the San Diego Police Department and the countries of Canada, Germany and Ireland.
The focus of the competition is to bring teams together to share battlefield lessons learned, provide training initiatives and ideas and to compete tactically and technically. The competition is preceded by a training symposium.
Public May View Sniper Competition
The competition will take place on firing ranges on Fort Benning and events will be conducted continuously over a 72-hour period. Many of the competition’s events are spectator-friendly. The event is open to the public (for viewing). There is no admission fee and parking is free.
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September 4th, 2011
 The Ruger 10/22 rimfire rifle is one of the most popular rifles ever made. Over five million 10/22s have been produced by Ruger. The first thing many 10/22 owners do with their new rifles is customize them — swapping stocks, barrels, triggers and other components. While some 10/22 upgrades are simple drop-in operations, it is wise to have some professional guidance when doing more advanced modifications.
To assist Ruger 10/22 customizers, the American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) now offers a 4-DVD bundle for 10/22 owners. This includes four DVDs demonstrating how to build tricked-out custom 10/22 rifles (and do your own trigger job). Hundreds of different options and accessories are shown. Also included is a complete tutorial on how to convert the rifle from a .22 LR to .17 Mach 2. The four DVD titles in this $149.00 bundle are:
- Ruger 10/22 Trigger Job (Product ID#3324)
- Ruger 10/22 Rifles (Product ID#1094)
- Disassembly/Reassembly of the Ruger 10/22 Rifle (Product ID#7074)
- Building the Custom Ruger 10/22 Rifle (Product ID#3454)
This 10/22 DVD package from AGI provides over nine hours of video instruction by master gunsmiths. The AGI Custom Ruger 10/22 (Package #5) is available at www.americangunsmith.com for $149.00. Gun Club of America members pay just $119.20.
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September 3rd, 2011
 Surgeon Rifles, the successful action and rifle manufacturer based in Prague, Oklahoma, has been sold to Strategic Armory Corps. The transaction closed on August 19, 2011.
“Both entities worked hard to construct a deal that would be beneficial to both parties and maintain the sterling reputation of Surgeon Rifles,” said Terry Mackin of Generational Equity, a mergers and acquisitions company that brokered the sale. “Surgeon Rifles was an excellent acquisition for Strategic Armory Corps,” added Generational Equity President Ryan Binkley. “Being able to capitalize on Surgeon’s reputation and services truly presents Strategic Armory with a competitive edge in the arms manufacturing industry.”
Preston Pritchett founded Surgeon Rifles near Prague, Oklahoma. Based on input from fellow shooters and friends, Surgeon Rifles manufactures a variety of the highest quality rifles, actions and other accessories for custom hunting and tactical rifle enthusiasts. All Surgeon Rifles and actions are built using the latest and most innovative equipment to ensure quality control and maintain specifications. Pritchett will remain with the Company and assist Strategic Armory in the expansion of its other products and services.
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Surgeon Rifles: A Success Story Based on Commitment to Quality
 The story of Surgeon is one of hard work, dedication, and commitment to quality. Surgeon was one of the very first sponsors of this website. This Editor recalls when, some six years ago, Surgeon founder Preston Pritchett called us on the phone and said: “I’ve been building some high quality new actions, and I need to get the word out… can you help?” Well over the next few years, Preston built his company into one of the elite manufacturers of custom actions and tactical rifles. Not willing to just build copies of factory actions, Preston “improved the breed” by including integral recoil lugs and Picatinny scope rails along with other innovative features.
Using state-of-the-art CNC manufacturing technologies, Surgeon actions are built to exacting tolerances, yet they are rugged and “dead nuts” reliable in adverse conditions. We are proud of what Preston and Surgeon Rifles has accomplished in such a short time. Surgeon actions have earned an enviable reputation for outstanding reliability, accuracy, and long-term durability. With Preston continuing as part of the Strategic Armory team, we’re confident that Surgeon Rifles will continue to produce outstanding products. |
The 1581 XL Action, at 1.450” wide X 9.5” long, is the largest of the Surgeon line of actions. It features a full-length 30 MOA integral 1913 Picatinny rail, a huge .450″ integral recoil lug, and a large 1-1/8” X 16 tenon thread, which requires the use of a 1.350” diameter barrel.
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September 3rd, 2011
Free Haz-Mat — that’s right, for a limited time, Bruno Shooters Supply is offering Free Haz-Mat if you purchase at least 10,000 primers (that’s ten 1,000-ct boxes). Bruno’s website states: “We will pay the Hazardous-Materials fee of $25.00 on orders of any 10,000 primers from the below list up to 50 pounds. You may mix and match. Each 1,000 primers weighs approximately one pound. You may also include powder at the regular price to reach your 50-pound weight limit. Shipping charges are additional. Haz-Mat orders ship via FedEx ground and a signature will be required. Offer applies to in-stock items only. No backorders. One offer per order. Please call (623) 587-7641 if you have any questions or concerns before placing your order.”
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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September 3rd, 2011
 MidwayUSA has launched its new Facebook Page and an enhanced Twitter Feed. These online offerings will provide exclusive discounts and special promotions. At the top of MidwayUSA’s Facebook page, you’ll see a “Like” Button. If you click the “Like” button, you get access to exclusive Promo Codes that provide: $10 off a $50 order, $15 off a $100 order, $25 off a $200 order, or $35 off a $300 order.
MidwayUSA’s Larry Potterfield explains: “MidwayUSA has been on YouTube for several years now. I’m excited about our launch into Facebook and Twitter. When we started the business, we’d communicate with our customers through face-to-face conversations or over the phone, but with these new social media channels, we’ll be able to communicate, nearly instantly, [with] more and better information.”
Latest Sales and Promos Listed on Twitter
MidwayUSA will provide “tweets” on current sales and the latest MidwayUSA video releases. Simply log on to http://www.twitter.com/midwayusa to get the latest info. For example, right now MidwayUSA’s Twitter Feed links to a Labor Day Special which runs through September 5 (sale ends at 11:59 pm Central Time). The following Labor Day Special codes provide discounts on regular, in-stock products.
- $10 off $100 or more – Use Promo Code 191177
- $25 off $250 or more – Use Promo Code 291177
- $50 off $500 or more – Use Promo Code 591177
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September 2nd, 2011
Let’s face it — economic times are still tough, so it’s important to save money whenever possible. Prices are going up, but wages aren’t following (for most of us). Here are seven ways shooters can save money on gear purchases and other shooting-related expenses.
 1. Share a Ride to Matches. With gas costing close to $4.00 per gallon in many areas of the country, fuel has become a significant part of an active shooter’s hobby budget. Yet over 90% of shooters drive solo to matches, often in large, gas-guzzling trucks. If you drive 100 miles roundtrip to attend a match in a 20-mpg vehicle, you’re going to burn nearly $20.00 worth of gas total out and back. By simply sharing the ride with one fellow shooter you can cut your fuel expenditures in half.
 2. Use Discount Codes to Save. It’s always smart to check for discount codes before you buy. In the Daily Bulletin, we regularly highlight important sales, and we provide discount Coupon Codes when available. By using discount codes when shopping online, you can typically save 10-15% on your purchases. For example, right now Sinclair Int’l is running a Labor Day Promo with discount codes. To find recent discount codes, just type in “Coupon Code” or “Discount” in the search box at the top of this page. If you can’t find a Coupon Code for your preferred vendor here, visit RetailMeNot.com and/or SlickGuns.com. Both those sites list current coupon codes, and RetailMeNot.com covers thousands of vendors.
 3. Gang Powder and Primer Purchases. Every time you order powder and primers you’ll need to pay a hazardous materials (hazmat) transport fee, which costs $25.00 – $30.00. If you do a joint buy with other shooters, you can ship more powder and primers on a single hazmat fee, effectively reducing your components cost. For example, if you buy 3 pounds of powder at $20/lb with a $25.00 hazmat fee your actual cost (before shipping) is $28.33 per pound. If instead if you buy 30 pounds of powder at $20.00/lb, the actual cost with hazmat is just $20.83 per pound. Moreover, when you buy in bulk, you can usually save significantly on the powder itself. At Powder Valley, one pound of Varget costs $19.75, while an 8-lb jug of Varget costs $139.50 ($17.44/lb).
 4. Shop for “Demo” Optics. Modern high-quality optics can easily cost $1500.00 or more, often exceeding the value of the rifle on which they are mounted. However, you can often save 20-30% by purchasing demo optics. These are normally display units used at trade shows. They may have slight ringmarks, but otherwise they are “as new”, having never been carried in the field or used on a rifle that has fired live ammo. When purchasing demo scopes, you should always ask about the warranty before consummating the sale. However, most demo scopes from name-brand manufacturers come with full factory warranties. EuroOptic.com and SWFA.com are two respected vendors that offer a good selection of demo optics.
 5. Train with Rimfire Rifles. The true cost of shooting a match-grade centerfire rifle, when you consider barrel wear, approaches $1.00 per round. READ Shooting Cost Article. By contrast .22LR Wolf Match Extra costs just $0.17 per round and other good rimfire ammo can be purchased for even less. Good rimfire barrels last a long, long time, so you don’t have to be concerned about wearing out your barrel quickly. A quality rimfire barrel can retain its accuracy for 7,000 rounds or more. If you run the ballistics, a .22LR round at 100 yards can emulate the wind drift experienced by a centerfire cartridge at long range. This allows for effective cross-training with much less expensive ammo.
 6. Check Out the Forum Classifieds. There are great deals to be found every day in the AccurateShooter Shooters’ Forum. The latest deals are listed on our home page. To see all the listings, browse through the Forum MarketPlace section which has four main categories:
- Guns, Actions, Stocks, & Barrels
- Tools, Dies, Rests, Reloading Components & Misc
- Scopes, Optics, Sights, Rings, Bases Etc.
- Commercial Sales by Paid Sponsors
You can find some great deals on complete rifles, optics, and reloading gear in our classifieds. Before purchasing, however, read our Advice to Online Classifieds Shoppers.
 7. Take Advantage of Factory Rebates. There are some amazing rebates available right now from quality manufacturers such as Bushnell, Leupold, RCBS, Sightron, and Zeiss. You have to be a bit wary because rebates are typically used to move less-popular merchandise. But some rebates, such as the current RCBS $50.00 rebate, apply to very wide range of merchandise, so it’s hard to go wrong. Just make sure that, when you buy a product, you retain the sales slip and the original packaging. To qualify for the rebate, you may need to mail in a product identification code found on the box, along with your original sales receipt.
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September 2nd, 2011
By Dr. Jim Clary
 One cannot discuss one of the most useful tools for long range shooters, The Slope Doper, without saying something about its inventor, David Rolls. David was a bold man, bigger than life, who dedicated his life to the service of others. Yet, he was full of fun and a little mischief. He had little tolerance of fools (a man after my own heart), but had great respect for those who deserved respect. It was a loss to all when he passed away in August 2008 at the young age of 61. That being said let me tell you of how he lived and what he accomplished with The Slope Doper.
David Rolls’ Background
David worked for years with the Baltimore City Fire Department as a firefighter and paramedic, retiring at 45. Not being content to sit around, he applied for a job with the Sheriff’s Department of Mineral County, West Virginia and graduated from the state police academy. No small feat for a man of any age, let alone one in his forties. David rose to the rank of Sergeant and held that rank until his passing. As a firefighter, paramedic and police officer, he was the kind of man you would want if you were in a tight spot. He never backed down when it came to helping others. Throughout his life he was active in the Boy Scouts and community activities. He was a lifetime member of the NRA holding the status of Golden Eagle and Certified Firearms Instructor.
As a shooter, David was intensely interested in tactical competitions and was a member of the American Sniper Association. Long distance tactical shooters are frequently faced with the problem of making adjustments when shooting uphill or downhill, as well as windage and normal bullet drop. Chucks Hawks provided a superb discussion of the effects of uphill/downhill shooting for the hunter. I strongly urge every reader to look up Chuck’s article to better understand the problem.
Even knowing that we will be shooting over our target (or at best higher than our aiming point), most hunters do not know how to make the required adjustments in the field. Something had to be devised that could be used quickly in the field by the average hunter. Enter David P. Rolls!
Slope Doper Debuts in 1998 at Storm Mountain
After a great deal of thought, David showed up at the Carlos N. Hathcock II Charity Sniper Competition at the Storm Mountain Training Center in 1998 with a prototype of his Slope Doper. It was somewhat crude by comparison to the current day production model, consisting of a laminated paper protractor with a weight and string, but it worked. It allowed a shooter to determine the impact point of his bullet when shooting at any angle. David had succeeded in combining the science of mathematics with the practicality required for field use. It should be noted that military shooters have used protractors for years, but they had to subtract numbers to arrive at the correct angle. Dave’s invention placed the zero degree point at the top of the arc, virtually eliminating the possibility of error. Ever the perfectionist, with an eye to the future, he asked his best friend, Fred Fischer to design a “professional” version with AutoCad, which Fred gladly did. Fred also had contacts with a manufacturer who happened to be a shooter and they were off. Fred still chuckles when he remembers all of the last minute changes that Dave came up with, but at least they had the basic artwork locked into the AutoCad program to go into production. The rest is history.
The Quantico marine sniper instructor who was the first military member to see a production version of the Slope Doper (and incidentally a member of the two-man team who won the Carlos Hathcock Sniper Competition) was impressed enough by it to remove his personal protractor from his data book and replace it with the Slope Doper David gave him. The Slope Doper is now standard issue with the Marine Corp sniper weapon system; The Slope Doper is packed with each rifle and its accessories. The pointer is easily replaceable with string and a weight if it is lost and the printing on both sides is actually fire resistant. It is mil spec and made to withstand combat conditions. It is aluminum rather than plastic, so that it will not break in cold conditions.
To understand how the Slope Doper works, it is best for me to let David tell you in his own words:
To begin with, you must understand that when you shoot up or downhill, gravity has a diminished effect on your projectile such that if you do not make any adjustment for angle, you will likely shoot over your target. This applies at long distances (greater than 300 yards) at slight angles and at severe angles (greater than 30 degrees) at lesser distances. With slight angles at short distances the adjustment may not be enough to worry about. The Slope Doper is a photo etched, anodized, aluminum plate that has two scales inscribed along an arc. The first scale tells you the angle in degrees, the inner scale gives you the cosine of the angle (what I call the “Slope Angle Factor”) at 10 degree intervals.
To use the Slope Doper, you must first know the range to your target. Next you have your partner (guide) hold the Slope Doper along side the bore centerline of your rifle while you take aim and read the Slope Angle Factor. If you are alone, you can sight your target along the top edge of the Slope Doper and capture the pointer with your thumb and then read the Slope Angle Factor. If you are not at an exact Slope Angle Factor, it is easy to interpolate. Now take the known distance and multiply that by the Slope Angle Factor. The answer you get is the effective range. You should now shoot as if the actual distance is the lesser distance (at 30 degrees, a Slope Angle Factor of 0.87, 500 yards becomes 435 yards). All other environmental factors, like wind, are still in effect at the actual distance (500 yards of wind is still 500 yards of wind).
To make my life easier, I attached some Velcro to the back of my Slope Doper and on the forend of my rifle. After using my rangefinder for distance, I simply point my rifle at the target, capture the pointer with my thumb, read the Slope Angle Factor, make a quick mental calculation and shoot. If you are an experienced shooter with a scope that has a mil dot reticule, the back of the slope doper has your ranging formulas. The Slope Doper is a must-have for every person who hunts in mountainous country, from the Appalachians to the Rockies. It will help prevent you from missing your quarry. It is a bargain when compared to the $300 – $500 we pay for our rangefinders and binoculars. You can purchase the Slope Doper directly from the Slope Doper Website for $24.95 plus $5.00 shipping (PayPal or mail-order). U.S. Tactical Supply also sells the Slope Doper for $24.95.
A final note: I was watching the Outdoor Channel last week and watched a hunter on a ridge shoot over a 6×6 bull elk in the valley below. The elk disappeared, and the show ended with the hunter and guide talking about the thrill of the chase, even though they missed the elk. Good for public relations, but not so good for the freezer. They should have had The Slope Doper!
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September 1st, 2011
Sinclair Int’l is running a Labor Day Promotion that starts today, September 1, and runs through September 6, 2011. Use the Promo Codes when shopping online, and you can save up to 10% off your order. There are three codes (but you may use only one per order):
$15 Off $150 — Use Code DHJ | $20 Off $200 — Use Code DHL | $25 Off $250 — Use Code DHN
Story Tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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September 1st, 2011
It’s time for pistol shooters to load up plenty of ammo and book their plane tickets. Three major pistol championships are scheduled to take place in the next five weeks. The USPSA, IDPA, and IPSC are all holding big events, starting in mid-September.
 First the USPSA National Handgun Championships will be held September 16-24 at the Desert Sportsman’s Rifle & Pistol Club in Las Vegas. We’ve shot at that range, tucked in the foothills on the northwest side of Las Vegas. It is a large, well-equipped facility. But it is also a dry, dusty location that can be hot as Hades in September. Bring plenty of water (along with plenty of ammo). Leading up to the USPSA Nationals, the USPSA has scheduled three of its eight regional championships over the first two weekends of September. This ensures competitors will be primed and ready for the National Championships.
 On September 21-24, the IDPA will conduct its first-ever World Championship Match at the Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof, Florida. Because it does not require (or permit) expensive custom “race-guns”, IDPA competition has become very popular. IDPA matches emphasize the use of cover and other “practical” defensive techniques. The idea behind IDPA was to provide a competitive discipline which allowed shooters to perfect their skills with the actual guns they carry or use for home defense. The IDPA expects a big turn-out in Florida, including shooters from a dozen or more foreign countries.
Unfortunately, the IDPA World Championship will over-lap the last four days of the USPSA Nationals. Some shooters hope to compete in both events. In order to allow this, the USPSA and IDPA have worked out a compromise. The Shooting Wire reports: “The [scheduling conflic] was more a result of a lack-of-communication comedy of errors. Each organization announced their championship dates within a short time of each other — and quickly discovered the problem. But Robert Ray at IDPA and Michael Voigt, president of USPSA, quickly worked out a compromise. Shooters competing in USPSA’s Limited and Production division nationals in Vegas on September 21-24 will be allowed to shoot through the match in order to fly out to Florida and compete in the IDPA World Championship.”
 Greece Hosts IPSC World Shoot in October on Rhodes
The IPSC World Shoot XVI in Greece, takes place October 3-8, 2011 at the Kalamonas Shooting Range, on the island of Rhodes. This is a huge event — over 1,000 shooters are expected to attend. There will be five (5) divisions, based on handgun type: Open, Modified, Standard, Revolver and Production. In addition, awards will be handed out to five (5) categories of shooters within each division: Overall, Lady, Junior, Senior and Super Senior. The IPSC World Shoot features some spectacular stages based on Greek history and mythology. These include the Labyrinth Stage and the water-filled Colossus of Rhodes Stage, both shown below.
CLICK HERE for information about the Greek island of Rhodes, with map.
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September 1st, 2011
 Lousiana has a once-a-year Sales Tax relief program we wish all the other states would emulate. Wouldn’t it be great if California, Pennsylvania, Texas and other major gun markets had a Second Amendment Tax Holiday? For a few days each year, Louisiana waives all the sales tax on firearms, ammunition, reloading components, and hunting gear. The 2011 Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday takes place Friday, September 2, through Sunday, September 4, 2011.
During these three days, eligible items (for individual use) are exempt from all state and local sales taxes in Louisiana. In Louisiana, eligible items include:
• Accessories designed to be used for hunting.
• Shotguns, rifles, pistols, revolvers, or other handguns.
• Ammunition intended to be fired from a gun or firearm is eligible.
• Animal feed for consumption by game which can be legally hunted.
• Apparel such as safety gear, camouflage clothing, jackets, hats, gloves, mittens, face masks and thermal underwear for use while hunting;
• Off-road vehicles such as all terrain vehicles designed for hunting. The exemption does not apply to golf carts, bikes, motorcycles, tractors, or motor vehicles which may be legally driven on highways.
So if you live in Louisiana, enjoy your tax break, starting Friday September 2nd! For the full list of eligible items and special provisions of the Louisiana sales tax holiday, visit www.revenue.louisiana.gov/secondamendment. NOTE: Louisiana is not the only state with such a program. South Carolina has held Second Amendment Tax Holidays in the past, and other states are considering the idea.
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