MidwayUSA has knocked $1.50 off the prices of LoadBooks reload manuals for three of the most popular centerfire calibers: .223 Rem, .308 Win, and .30-06. As discounted, these manuals now cost $5.49 (regular price $6.99). In addition, the most popular pistol load manuals are also marked down to $5.49 (9mm, .38 Spl, .357 Mag, 40sw, and .45 ACP, .45 Colt).
All of these caliber-specific reloading guides are packed with information from major US bullet- and powder-makers including Accurate, Alliant, Hodgdon, Hornady, IMR, Lyman, Nosler, RCBS, Sierra, Speer and Winchester. LoadBook manuals are printed on heavyweight paper and spiral-bound so they will lay flat on any surface. Most load manuals have about 54 pages. NOTE: since most of these manuals have not been updated within the last 5 years, you won’t find the latest bullet designs or recently-introduced powders such as Hodgdon Hybrid 100V or Alliant Reloder 17.
Story based on Report by Gary Anderson in the CMP’s First Shot Online Magazine
The Opening Ceremony of the XXXth Summer Olympic Games will take place in London on July 27, 2012. The next morning, the first gold medal of the Games will be awarded to the winner of the Women’s Air Rifle event. That will be the first of 15 Olympic rifle, pistol and shotgun events to be contested on London’s Royal Artillery Barracks Shooting Venue during the first ten days of the Games. 390 shooters from at least 103 countries. plan to participate in Shooting competition. That number of participants places the shooting sports third among all summer Olympic sports.
Finals Range Exterior: All of the rifle and pistol ranges at the London Olympic Venue feature this same distinctive architectural style. This large structure houses the 10m/25m/50m Rifle and Pistol Finals Range.
The Olympic Shooting Venue at the Royal Artillery Barracks
The British government’s Olympic Development Authority created the Olympic Shooting Venue at the Royal Artillery Barracks at a cost of £36 million. This temporary Shooting Venue includes a combined 50m and 10m Rifle and Pistol Range, a 25m Pistol Range, a Rifle and Pistol Finals Range and a Shotgun Range with three fields. Rifle and pistol targets are electronic. Originally, Olympic shooting events were to be held at the National Shooting Centre at Bisley in Surrey, but that plan was changed after the International Olympic Committee complained about the number of sports staged outside London. So, the decision was made to create a temporary facility at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich (East London). Sadly, that means that the temporary venue will be torn down after the 2013 London Games. Three of these ranges will be moved to Glasgow, Scotland for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. But otherwise the Olympic Shooting venue will disappear after the London Games. According to the BBC website: “The Woolwich venue has proved controversial within the sport as it is temporary and will be pulled down after the Games”, thereby denying UK shooters a post-Olympics legacy facility.
Finals Range Interior. This is where the top eight shooters in each rifle and pistol event compete in Finals. Top to bottom are: monitors for each shooter’s target, the 50m targets, eight finalists on the line, and the Range officer control station.
The Pre-Olympic Test Competition
In April, test competitions in London were staged as an ISSF World Cup with athletes from 100 countries participating, the most ever for an ISSF World Cup. The 800+ athletes that competed is more than double the number of shooters who will qualify for the Summer Olympics. The huge number of Test Comp shooters, plus unseasonably cold, wet, windy weather, made the World Cup a supreme test of LOCOG preparations for the Games.
Cold Weather: Headgear worn by these two finalists in the 50m 3×20 Rifle Women Final tells a lot about weather conditions during the test competition.
The Pre-Olympic Test Competition in London also served as a preview of the Olympic competitions this summer. Scores were surprisingly high considering how bad the weather was. The top medal-winning nations in the London World Cup were Russia and China with six each. Italy won five medals followed by the USA and Ukraine with four medals each. USA medal winners were Matt Emmons, 50m 3X40 Rifle Men; Kim Rhode, Skeet Women; Kayle Browning, Trap Women and Mike McPhail, 50m Prone Rifle Men. The USA Shooting Team hopes to contend for several medals in London.
7mm has become the caliber to beat in F-Class open division. The dominant performances of UK shooters with 7mm cartridges at the 2009 F-Class World Championship, following the South African team’s success with 7mms at the previous Worlds, has shown the strength of 7mm chamberings for long-range competition. After losing to the Team Britain, the U.S. F-Open Team decided to switch to a 7mm for the next World Championship. While most of Britain’s top F-Class shooters were using WSM-based 7mm cartridges, you don’t need a short magnum to enjoy the wind-bucking abilities of a 7mm.
With a standard .284 Winchester, or better yet, a .284 Improved, you can drive the high-BC Berger 180gr bullets to competitive velocities. A .284 Improved will shoot well inside a 6.5-284, and you’ll probably get 40-60% longer barrel life (at least 2000 rounds vs. as little as 1200).
The straight .284 Win is a good cartridge, but in most barrels, it can’t push the 180s at 2900-2950 fps velocity levels*. A lot of barrels will top out at about 2850. That’s where the .284 Shehane comes into play. The .284 Shehane is a slightly modified wildcat that retains the same 35° shoulder as the parent case. However, by blowing the sidewalls out 0.010″, the .284 Shehane picks up about 3.3 grains of extra case capacity. That enhancement makes a BIG difference. The extra boiler room is enough to drive the 180s at 2900-2950 fps with H4831sc. With N560 or Reloder 17 you can go even faster.
Scotland’s Grant Taylor used the .284 Shehane to finish 3rd overall in the 2009 individual F-Class World Championships at Bisley, England. Grant reports: “I have a .284 Shehane and it’s very accurate with superb vertical spreads at 1000 yards. I have to thank Jim Hardy for putting me onto the caliber, it has awesome accuracy. I’m getting 2930-2950 fps with spreads in the 3-5 fps range. I use Hodgdon H4831sc powder, CCI BR2 primers, and pointed 180gr Bergers.”
Forum member Jim Hardy has shot the .284 with great success. He tells us: “In my humble opinion, the .284 Shehane is the best balanced long range round there is — bar none. I (perhaps_ have shot more of this chambering than anyone else, and it has proven better than I ever expected. Here is why:
You have to shoot a 30 Cal magnum with a 240gr bullet to equal the performance of most 7mm chamberings with the 180 Berger VLD. With the .284 Shehane, you have a .308 bolt face, medium action, and Lapua brass. You use less powder than the 7 mags, and have great accuracy and ballistics even while fire-forming. The .284 Shehane shoots inside the 6.5 AND the straight 284, the 300 WSM, and the 300 Win Mag with less recoil. The .284 Shehane offers twice the competitive barrel life of the 6.5-284, an easy 2950 fps with H4831 SC, [and it] can run 3000+ with N560 and Reloder 17, which is right there with the 7mm WSM. What is not to love about the 284 Shehane? It is a no-brainer for long range — F-Class or Prone or 1000-yard Benchrest.”
*Some exceptional barrels chambered in straight .284 Win can reach 2900 fps with the 180s. Ryan Pierce, who recently set a 450-24X Pending F-Open record, has a 32″ Brux barrel that is delivering 2900 fps with the straight .284. However, Ryan acknowledges that his velocities are not typical: “A lot of .284 Win barrels top out at around 2850 fps with the 180s.”
Online registration is now open for the 2012 National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry. The National Matches are broken down into four different phases: Pistol, Smallbore Rifle, High Power Rifle and Long Range High Power Rifle. There are also team events.
On the Online Registration page, you can enter the various competitions individually. Once you have completed one entry, you will be given the option to enter a different match. Each competition can only be entered once per shooter. To enter the NRA/M1A Springfield match, please use the NRA High Power Rifle Championship option.
PMA Action Cleaning Tool Kit Review by Danny Reever
I’ve been playing with the PMA Action Cleaning Tool Kit for about a month now. Previously, I used one of the old style (round knob) Sinclair action-cleaning tools with cylindrical cotton rolls. With the Sinclair tool, I was pretty satisfied that I was getting my actions reasonably clean. But, as I explain below, I think the newer PMA Action Cleaning Tool Kit is easier to use, and possibly achieves better results.
PMA Tool Kit Extensively Tested with Many Action Types
PMA tried a variety of options before finalizing the PMA Action Cleaning Tool Kit. PMA explains that several shooters did a lot of testing “with various sizes of die-cut foam, patches, felts and cotton rolls with various bolt action types (BAT two- and three-Lug, Kelblys, Halls, Remingtons, Winchesters and Savages). [Testers all agreed] that the foam disc is far superior to felts and cotton rolls [and] we decided to include two different sizes of foam discs.”
The PMA Action-Cleaning Tool uses round foam discs in two included sizes: 1″ diameter and 1.25″ diameter. Both size discs can be used alone, or with a 3″ patch wrapped around them. The handles of the tools are CNC-machined blue-anodized aluminum with a silicone sleeve for grip. The PMA tool handles are a bit longer than those of my old Sinclair action-cleaning tool. I like the added handle length, and I find the design of the handle easier to use compared to the old-style round knobs.
The PMA tools are quality items. They are an improvement over my older Sinclair action-cleaning set-up. But do the PMA tools they actually clean the action better or easier than the old style cotton rolls? Well, based on my experience, the answer is a definite “maybe”.
Comparison Testing — Cotton Rolls vs. PMA Foam Discs (with and without patches)
Starting with the old-style cotton roll system, I cleaned my actions to a level I considered “clean” in the past. I then tried the included PMA foam discs. I found that, for my Remington-style actions, the larger 1.25″-diameter disc seemed to work better than the smaller 1″-diameter disc. Wrapping the larger disc with a 3″ patch definitely brought out more crud from my previously cleaned actions than the old style cotton rolls. Well, you might ask, what if you wrap the old-style cotton roll with a patch? Yes that will remove more crud too, but perhaps not as much as the PMA system. Moreover you would have to buy both cotton rolls AND 3″ patches. Not many places sell the cotton rolls.
Is it worth plunking down the $45.95 for the complete PMA system? Well, if you want to upgrade to a quality-made tool with better handles the answer is yes. Is getting that last bit of crud out of your action every time you clean it that important to you? You have to decide that for yourself. From my own perspective, I was due for an upgrade so the answer was easy. I like the PMA system, especially the new improved handles. Also, with the PMA system I don’t have to fool around with a tiny Allen screw to secure the cotton rolls — that was annoying. So my final take on the PMA Action Cleaning Tool Kit is that it is a good product with some real advantages over other action-cleaning systems.
PMA Tool charges $45.95 for the complete Action Cleaning Tool Kit that includes a chamber cleaning handle and cotton swab. PMA offers the lug recess action cleaning tool by itself with four foam cleaning discs and five 3″ patches. Cleaning discs are also available separately in your choice of 1″- and 1.25″-diameter in a five pack.
Cabelas.com is running a huge Memorial Day Weekend sale. Now through May 28, 2012, prices are marked down on thousands of items. This Editor just picked up some discounted cargo pants and hiking boots. Selected Hunting gear and ammo are also on sale for the next week.
To make Cabela’s Memorial Day Sale even more attractive, Cabelas.com is also offering FREE Shipping if your order totals $99.00 or more. To qualify, use Promo CODE 52SHIP during check-out. This offer is valid through May 28th. Additional shipping charges for large or heavy items still apply.
Fine Print: Offer does not apply to firearms. Good on Standard Express shipping to U.S. Deliverable Addresses ONLY. Not valid with any other offer. Offer cannot be used on prior purchases. Offer is valid for purchases made at Cabelas.com or catalog call center.
Midsouth Shooters Supply just announced a major Blem Bullets Sale. These Blem Bullets are priced 35% to 40% BELOW normal retail. You’ll find super bargains on major-brand bullets with minor cosmetic flaws (blemishes), typically water spotting or discoloration. In some cases the bullets have no visible flaws, they were simply packaged incorrectly or were over-runs (excess production). Blem rifle bullet inventory includes: 6mm 80gr Spire Point ($58.50/500), 6mm 90gr FMJ ($58.50/500), 6mm 100gr Soft Point ($58.50/500), .277 130gr Bonded Lead-free PolyTip ($136.50/500), 7mm 139gr PolyTip Moly ($91.00/500), 7mm 154gr RNSP ($78.00/500), .308 150gr Bonded Lead-Free PolyTip ($143.00/500).
There are over 1.5 million bullets available. However, Midsouth tells us these are “Limited Quantities — Once these are gone, they are gone!” So… if you see something you want at a good price, you should get your order in soon. CLICK HERE to see Blem Bullets Inventory on SALE
Midsouth can’t disclose the bullet-maker, but we know it’s a big name company with a reputation for quality. If you’re in the market for bargain bullets, don’t dawdle. CALL 1-800-272-3000 to order.
USAMU shooter SFC Jason Parker, the 2011 Continental American Champion, won the 50m Three Position (3P) Rifle event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Rifle & Pistol World Cup in Milan, Italy. With an overall score of 1273.1 points, Parker topped runner-up Niccolò Campriani (Italy), by almost three points, earning the American soldier his fifth ISSF World Cup Gold medal. Jason apparently likes Italy — in 2001 SFC Parker won an ISSF World Cup Gold medal in Milan.
SFC Parker told reporters: “I won my first international medal ever here in Milan, so it’s great to be back on this podium. We have our national Olympic trials kicking off in a few days: the 2012 Olympic team will be decided there. It’s good to walk into the trials knowing that everything works fine, and that I can score well under pressure.”
Despite extremely windy conditions in Milan, SFC Parker shot a great match. Parket noted: “I am quite confident with the wind. I adjusted my sights with a couple of clicks and knew how to react. I had no problems.” Team USA shooting coach, Major Dave Johnson, praised Parker: “This was a vintage performance from Jason today. There wasn’t anything truly big or flashy about the way he shot, but he made no mistakes all day and was just very consistent.”
Watch Highlights from Mens’ 50m 3-Position in ISSF World Cup Milan
Twenty-one USA Shooting athletes, including 10 Olympians, are in Italy for their final International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup event before the London 2012 Olympic Games. The ISSF World Cup in Rifle and Pistol events continues tomorrow with Women’s 50m Three-Position Rifle, Women’s 25m Pistol and Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol. Through three days of competition, the USA Shooting Team has earned three top-10 finishes following a sixth-place finish for Sarah Scherer (Woburn, Mass.) and a 10th-place finish by Jamie Gray (Lebanon, Pa.) in Women’s 10m Air Rifle.
Tomorrow, May 19, you can try out the electronic targets used in the Olympics at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Gerrardstown, WV. The event is a part of the NRA’s effort to increase awareness of Electronic Target Systems and their use for recreational shooting. Provided by ShotResponse (a dealer for the Swiss SIUS AG company), the electronic targets instantly record and score every shot fired down-range. The new NRA Portable Box Target provides a 4′ x 4′ scoring zone (with multiple target options) and remote display at the shooter’s location. The wireless version works out to 1,000 yards without a signal repeater.
Next Target Demo in Williamsport, PA
The next demonstration of the SIUS electronic targets will be September 8, 2012 at the Original Pennsylvania 1000 Yard Benchrest Club, in Williamsport, PA. CLICK HERE to learn more about the Williamsport event this fall. If your club is interested in hosting an electronic target event in the future, contact NRA Range Services at (877) NRA-RANGE or email range@nrahq.org.
About the Equipment
The SIUS Portable Bullet Sensor (PBS) is a Portable Single Lane RF (wireless) automatic electronic precision target scoring system. SIUS PBS employs Acoustical Projectile Locating (detection). Accuracy is 1 – 2mm at the target center and 5 – 7mm at outer scoring zones. Any small arms firearms from .22-caliber to .308 caliber can be used with the system. It works with both subsonic and supersonic projectiles. The ShotResponse NRA Box targets with multiple target “skins”, including standard bullseye targets along with deer and boar hunting targets. There are 12 different Target Facings with Firing Exercise Software plus the Rifle Grouping/Zeroing Exercise.
The PBS system consists of a collapsible Precision Target with an RF (wireless) Battery Pack, a Target carrying/shipping case and a Shooter’s RF Wireless Control Unit/Monitor with Keypad, Battery Pack, Carrying/Shipping Case and a Laptop computer for downloading and printing of firing data. This portable system employs technology developed by SIUS, the official supplier of electronic targets for the Olympic Games and ISSF competition. CLICK HERE for SIUS video.
The video below shows a variety of SIUS/ShotResponse indoor and outdoor electronic targets in use. There are systems for airguns and pistols as well as rimfire and centerfire rifles.
Bryan Litz has just released AB Mobile, a new, state-of-the-art Ballistics App for Android OS devices. (An iOS version for iPhones/iPads is in the works, but ETA is not yet set.) For those familiar with the Shooter App for Android and iOS, the $29.95 AB Mobile App is basically an extended/advanced version of Shooter. AB Mobile was coded by the same programmer, and uses the same solver, but this new AB App has an enhanced interface, plus many additional features that extend capabilities beyond any ballistics App currently on the market. In the video below, Bryan explains the features of the AB Mobile App and shows how to navigate through the various function screens.
Accounts for all major and minor trajectory variables
Built-in library of Litz-measured G1 and G7 Ballistic Coefficients for popular bullets.
Access weather data and latitude from GPS or Kestrel via blue-tooth link.
Web-sync feature stores rifle/ammo libraries online for quick retrieval.
Features custom drag curves for specific bullets as in-app purchases ($1.99).
Displays single shot solution in HUD view or Reticle view.
Displays multi-shot solution in Reticle view, table, and graph.
Custom Ballistic Calibration Based on Observed Drops
In addition, Applied Ballistics’ AB Mobile App offers Ballistic Calibration, so you can enter your observed drop at range and the program will calibrate your muzzle velocity, projectile drag (BC), and drop scaling over various segments of the trajectory. This is great for tactical shooters who need highly accurate drop tables for unknown distance matches. For those without access to chronographs, Ballistic Calibration also give you a fairly reliable MV baseline.
With a standard .284 Winchester, or better yet, a .284 Improved, you can drive the high-BC Berger 180gr bullets to competitive velocities. A .284 Improved will shoot well inside a 6.5-284, and you’ll probably get 40-60% longer barrel life (at least 2000 rounds vs. as little as 1200).
USAMU shooter SFC Jason Parker, the 2011 Continental American Champion, won the 50m Three Position (3P) Rifle event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Rifle & Pistol World Cup in Milan, Italy. With an overall score of 1273.1 points, Parker topped runner-up Niccolò Campriani (Italy), by almost three points, earning the American soldier his fifth ISSF World Cup Gold medal. Jason apparently likes Italy — in 2001 SFC Parker won an ISSF World Cup Gold medal in Milan.
Tomorrow, May 19, you can try out the electronic targets used in the Olympics at the 
Bryan Litz has just released 
