Forum member Roy Bertalotto did a real nice off-set scope installation on a bolt gun to help a sight-challenged shooter. Roy explains: “A friend of mine shoots left-handed and has lost the sight in his left eye. I built him a scope mount so he can still shoot left-handed, but now use his right eye.” Roy’s fabrication work is impressive and we praise his efforts to help a fellow shooter stay in the game.
Roy bolted a plate to the existing scope rail on the top centerline of the Rem 700 action. This plate extends a few inches to the right. On the outboard end of the plate, Roy fitted a second scope rail, aligned with the bore. Weaver-based rings are then clamped to the outboard (right side) auxiliary rail.
Be Careful of Canting Issues with Offset Scope Installations
We’re pleased to see that Roy developed a solution for a shooter with an optical disability, but we want to stress that this is a specialized installation that can create some problems with point of impact shift if the gun is not maintained perfectly level. With the amount of horizontal offset (between the scope’s optical axis and the bore axis) built into this rig, if the rifle is canted, point of impact can shift rather dramatically. For a southpaw who is willing to adapt his/her shooting style, it may be better, in the long run, to learn to shoot right-handed if his/her right eye is the only good eye. Likewise, if a right-handed shooter can only see well through his left eye, he may benefit from learning how to hold the stock and work the trigger with his left hand. The shooter could still work the bolt with his non-trigger hand. Changing from right-hand to left-hand shooting (or vice-versa) may require a stock swap if the stock is not ambidextrous.
In a masterful piece of Madison Avenue magic, BMW portrays its M5 “super-sedan” as the four-wheeled equivalent of a speeding bullet. In this clever, CGI-enhanced marketing video, an M5 is “shot” from a giant barrel. It then speeds across the Bonneville Salt Flats towards a giant bullseye — just like a bullet heading toward a target. Along its path, the M5 shatters a giant apple, and then slices through three giant water balloons. Far-fetched? Yes. But the illusion is superbly-crafted, making for two very compelling minutes of movie-making.
Watch BMW Video
Measuring the BMW M5 in Bullet Terms
How does the M5 measure up compared to real bullets shot from real rifles? With a 66.9″ body width, the BMW M5 is a 1700mm projectile. When we convert the M5’s rather porky 4350-pound curb weight* to grains, we find the M5 weighs an astonishing 30,450,000 grains. (Yes that’s 30.45 MILLION). The M5’s electronically-governed top speed is 155 mph. That equates to 277.33 fps — pretty slow by ballistics standards. A typical hunting projectile flies ten times as fast. And even a 9mm handgun bullet travels four times as fast.
M5 ‘Knock-Down’ Power More Than Adequate for Big Game
When it comes to knock-down power, a speeding M5 beats even a 50 BMG bullet hands down. At 500 yards, a 750gr A-Max fired from a 50 BMG has about 8625 foot/lbs of retained energy (this assumes 2700 fps MV).
By contrast, with a terminal velocity of 277.33 fps, the 4350-lb BMW delivers 5.199 Million foot/lbs of retained energy. We think that’s more that enough “hitting power” to cope with any size North American game. But there are certainly some “Zombie” Hunters who might still wish for more power.
How about trajectory? Well we can’t answer that one for you. Last time we checked, Bryan Litz had not calculated the G1 or G7 BC for a BMW M5, so we can’t figure the car’s come-ups using JBM Ballistics. Still, we’re sure that, if BMW gave Bryan an M5 to play with, he’d be happy to spend a few months gathering “data”. But we do suspect it might be a bit challenging to get a 4350-lb sport sedan to fly through the sky-screens of Bryan’s chronographs.
*BMW M5 curb weight based on Car & Driver Report and 7000 grains per pound conversion.
Dan Lilja of Lilja Barrels has announced that, starting this month (June), his company will offer a pre-threading option for in-stock and made-to-order Lilja barrels. The price for the threading option is $30 per barrel. The first offerings will be for Rem 700 actions, and Lilja will, later on, offer pre-chambered barrels as well. Dan tells us: “To begin with we are threading for the Remington 700 actions. Other action types will be added in the future. And we are also planning to offer chambering along with the threading for a limited number of cartridges in the near future.”
Details of Pre-Threaded Barrels — Gunsmithing Still Required
Pre-Threading will only be offered, initially, on 28″ or 30″ blanks (length prior to threading). The barrel will NOT be finish-crowned, and Lilja does not offer muzzle threading except for drop-in AR-type barrels. Dan points out that his pre-threaded barrels are not ready to install: “The barrels will still require a gunsmith, experienced at fitting barrels to actions, to make the final fitting and headspacing adjustments on a lathe and using headspace gauges. Lilja will turn these threads for the nominal dimensions for the action type. But action makers have tolerances and other operations such as truing an action face or bolt or lapping bolt lugs can change dimensions enough that headspace or thread shank length may need to be modified.”
Story lead from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Savage Arms is sponsoring a series of range days this year, at locations around the country. Savage provides the guns, and the ammo (limited quantity allocated to each shooter). The latest range day is happening today, June 23, at the Evans Brothers Range in Huntington, Texas. A popular shooting personality, Top Shot Season 3 winner Dustin Ellermann, will be on hand to provide shooting tips and meet the participants. If you’re anywhere near Huntington today, head out to the range and have fun. Dustin writes on his Facebook page: “Want to come shoot with me? I’ll be at Evan’s Brothers Guns in Huntington this Saturday (June 23) from 9:00 – 12:00 demoing some sweet Savage Arms rifles.” Here are some photos from last year’s Savage Range Day at Evans Brothers Range:
Story Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
A while back, we featured the East Texas Benchrest Shoot-out in Huntsville, TX. That match was co-sponsored by S&S Precision Rifles of Argyle, Texas. In the video below, the folks at S&S put together some tack-drivers for their customers. There are some nice glimpses of bedding work, and barrel finishing. Watch carefully — at the 40-second mark you’ll see a sub-1/4″, 10-shot group that S&S co-owner “Stick” Starks shot at 200 yards with his 6.5×47 Lapua rifle. That’s serious accuracy. Half-way through the video, Stick offers advice for shooters looking for a super-accurate fun gun for club shoots: “If you want to shoot [at] 100 and 200 yards, I’d get me a 6BR or a 30 BR. It would be the most fun gun you ever had… and the barrel will probably last three or four thousand rounds.” If you want a gun to shoot at primarily 500-600 yards, Stick recommends the 6.5×47 Lapua chambering. He told us: “Run it with the Berger 130s and Hodgdon H4350 powder. That H4350 works great with the 130 Bergers.”
American Airgunner is the first and only television show to feature airgun shooting sports. This Wednesday, June 27, American Airgunner kicks off its 2012 season on The Pursuit Channel. This season American Airgunner covers the many airgun disciplines, takes viewers on hunts with large bore airguns and pellet rifles, and spotlights the latest in airgun hardware and technology. For 2012, American Airgunner offers an Airgunner Challenge in which eight contestants compete for $5000 and bragging rights.
American Airgunner airs on the Pursuit Channel on Wednesdays at 4:30 PM Eastern, Fridays at 1:30 AM Eastern, Primetime on Fridays at 8:30 PM Eastern. Check local listings for other Time Zones.
First Episode Highlights: .50-Caliber Boar Hunt and Airgunner Challenge
Interest in large bore airguns is on the rise. In the first episode of American Airgunner, Paul Capello, show host, teams up with long-time hog hunter, Clay Hurst, and a .50 caliber airgun supplied by Pyramyd Air to hunt wild boar. Then, viewers will meet the eight contestants for the first Airgunner Challenge and watch as they will shoot it out with a Walther Dominator PCP Air Rifle and a Magnum Research Desert Eagle Air Pistol. All the airguns seen on the show can be purchased from PyramydAir.com, the world’s largest airgun retailer.
The 2012 National Rifle and Pistol Championships begin July 9 at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio. A tradition at Camp Perry since 1907, the championships are divided into five separate phases: Pistol, Smallbore 3-Position, Smallbore Prone, High Power and Long Range.
The National Matches begin in early July with the First Shot Ceremony and conclude in August with the Long Range High Power Championship. This year, Nosler returns as title sponsor for the High Power Rifle Championships. NRA President David A. Keene said “The NRA, CMP and the Ohio National Guard work together and will continue to do so to make the National Championships the most prestigious matches in the world.
The 2012 National Championships calendar is as follows:
July 9: First Shot Ceremony
July 10-14: NRA National Pistol Championships
July 18-21: NRA National Smallbore Rifle Position Championships
July 22-26: NRA National Smallbore Rifle Prone Championships
August 5: NRA/Springfield M1A Match
August 6-10: NRA National High Power Rifle Championships
August 11-15: NRA Long Range Championship
You can follow the 2012 Championships with profiles, photos and scoring updates at www.nrablog.com. For more on the National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry visit www.nrahq.org/compete or call 1-877-672-6282. On the Online Registration page, you can enter the various competitions. To enter the NRA/M1A Springfield match, please use the NRA High Power Rifle Championship option.
Annie’s grand-nieces got her gun and they got big money for it. About 100 items owned by sharp-shooting legend Annie Oakley and passed down to Oakley’s great-grandnieces were put on auction in Dallas recently. Auctioned memorabilia included Annie’s Stetson hat, many letters, and of course, a collection of firearms. The item bringing in the highest bid — $143,400 — was Oakley’s Parker Brothers 12-gauge shotgun. The total take on the auctioned Annie Oakley collection was nearly $520,000 according to Heritage Auction sources.
The collection of Annie Oakley guns and personal items was inherited by Oakley’s great-grandnieces from their mother, Billie Butler Serene, who died at age 95 three years ago. According to AP reporter Chris Sherman, one of the grand-nieces, Terry Holcomb, “remembers shooting the guns for target practice on Sunday mornings in California’s Santa Monica Mountains and wearing Oakley’s Stetson hat — which sold for $17,925 — for Halloween.”
In addition to the coveted Parker Brothers shotgun, two of Annie’s prized Marlin .22-caliber rifles fetched big prices at auction. One sold for $71,700 and the other for $83,650. The high-bidder for one of the Marlins had Annie’s grandnieces sign his catalog, and he told Holcomb that “his kids couldn’t wait to shoot” the historic rimfire rifle.
“Annie Oakley was arguably America’s first female superstar, touring the U.S. and the world in the late 1800s and early 20th century and demonstrating her legendary Wild West sharp-shooting skills.” Tom Slater, Historian for Heritage Auctions.
Eurenco (European Energetics Corporation) is a French company owned by the SNPE Group. Eurenco specializes in production of propellants and explosives. Eurenco currently owns and operates five modern production plants in Belgium (Clermont), Finland (Vihtavuori), France (Bergerac, Sorgues) and Sweden (Bofors AB, Karlskoga). Readers are doubtless familiar with Vihtavuori powders, which are marketed and distributed by the Nammo Lapua group based in Finland. Though Nammo Lapua distributes Vihtavuori powder, Eurenco actually owns the Vihtavuori factory located in Vihtavuori, Finland.
Eurenco Looks for Buyer for Vihtavuori Plant
On June 18, Eurenco stated that it is “considering” selling the Vihtavuori Ltd. production facility to a third party. This factory currently employs 100 workers, and has annual revenues of $15 million Euros.
Eurenco hopes to sell the plant to a Finnish company, and we are informed that at least one investment group from Finland is interested. Eurenco revealed no immediate plans to shut the facility or to curtail production while Eurenco seeks a buyer. However, Eurenco said that the primary reason for selling the plant was reduced military demand for Vihtavuori products in recent years.
No Change in Vihtavuori Powder Distribution in USA
We discussed the potential Vihtavuori factory sale with Adam Braverman, U.S. representative for Nammo Lapua. Adam first noted that Nammo Lapua is NOT a potential buyer for the plant: “That’s not on the table.” But Adam emphasized that he forsees no changes to the current Vihtavuori distribution scheme: “Vihtavuori powder buyers should expect ‘business as usual’. We do not forsee any price or product availablity changes in the short term. There is plenty of powder inventory available, so we can fill all existing demands through the end of 2012.” While Eurenco looks for a new owner of the Vihtavuori plant, there will be no changes to the current system of distribution of Vihtavuori powders in the USA. Adam said: “There is plenty of powder in the European warehouses, and Nammo Lapua will continue to export Vihtavuori propellants to the USA importers (Hodgdon and Kaltron) who will distribute them to our retailers. We do not anticipate any supply shortages.”
The 15th annual MGM Ironman Match drew 280 competitors — the largest field ever. Present were elite professional teams, privateers, juniors, ladies, top military and LEO teams, and shooters from as far away as Denmark. This challenging 3-Gun event, held June 3-9, 2012 at the Parma Rod & Gun Club in Idaho, featured 11 diverse stages of pistol, rifle and shotgun challenges.
The aptly-named Ironman match is one of the toughest 3-Gun matches on the planet. Over the course of three grueling days, competitors must complete 11 stages (segments), shooting in excess of 900+ rounds per shooter per segment. EVERY stage requires the use of ALL three guns. The Ironman is long, intense, and you shoot till you drop! Mike Gibson, the founder of MGM Targets, and the “inventor” of the Ironman, has said: “This match isn’t for weenies or crybabies”. Mike adds, “Over the past 15 years, I estimate over 4.5 Billion rounds have been fired in this event.” That’s a lot of lead going downrange!
MGM Ironman Has Unique Stage Designs
The MGM Ironman is an intense test of both shooter and equipment. Participants shoot a variety of classes and various scenarios including shooting from the back of a moving vehicle, from a 20-foot tower, while driving a golf cart, and while carrying a dummy. Of course there are plenty of MGM-made reactive targets (photo right). There’s even a 285-foot-long Zipline pistol stage. You don’t see that in the typical 3-Gun match!
With creative and challenging stage designs, high round counts, and a great RO crew the Ironman is truly a unique match. Every stage has a 10-minute time limit with an average shooting time of about 7 minutes per stage. This year, some of the times were hampered by a day of steady rain and wind, making it all the more challenging. Overall, great efforts and camaraderie made for a great event.
2012 MGM Ironman Match Winners by Class:
SCOPED TACTICAL CLASS – Daniel Horner; OPEN CLASS – Michael Voigt; LIMITED CLASS – Warren Becker; HEAVY SCOPED CLASS – Barry Dueck ; TROOPER CLASS – Ben Fortin; JUNIOR TS CLASS – Brian Nelson; SENIOR TS CLASS – Ralph Arredondo; LADY OTLH CLASS – Bethany Harris; MILITARY/LAW TS CLASS – Ben Fortin.
Here is a video from the 2010 MGM Ironman. It shows many of the multi-gun stages, including the Zipline stage, filmed from multiple camera angles.
Forum member Roy Bertalotto did a real nice off-set scope installation on a bolt gun to help a sight-challenged shooter. Roy explains: “A friend of mine shoots left-handed and has lost the sight in his left eye. I built him a scope mount so he can still shoot left-handed, but now use his right eye.” Roy’s fabrication work is impressive and we praise his efforts to help a fellow shooter stay in the game.
M5 ‘Knock-Down’ Power More Than Adequate for Big Game
Dan Lilja of 
A while back, we featured the 
The 2012 National Rifle and Pistol Championships begin July 9 at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio. A tradition at Camp Perry since 1907, the championships are divided into five separate phases: Pistol, Smallbore 3-Position, Smallbore Prone, High Power and Long Range.
Annie’s grand-nieces got her gun and they got big money for it. About 100 items owned by sharp-shooting legend Annie Oakley and passed down to Oakley’s great-grandnieces were put on auction in Dallas recently. Auctioned memorabilia included Annie’s Stetson hat, many letters, and of course, a collection of firearms. The item bringing in the highest bid — $143,400 — was Oakley’s Parker Brothers 12-gauge shotgun. The total take on the auctioned Annie Oakley collection was nearly $520,000 according to Heritage Auction sources.
Eurenco hopes to sell the plant to a Finnish company, and we are informed that at least one investment group from Finland is interested. Eurenco revealed no immediate plans to shut the facility or to curtail production while Eurenco seeks a buyer. However, Eurenco said that the primary reason for selling the plant was reduced military demand for Vihtavuori products in recent years.
MGM Ironman Has Unique Stage Designs
