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September 11th, 2012
On this anniversary of the September 11 attacks in 2001, it is important to remember those who were lost, and honor those brave men and women who risked their lives to help others. But it is even more important that we, as a nation, remain vigilant, and not let down our guard. “Remaining vigilant toward this ever-present threat means constantly learning how better to protect ourselves. [W]e must fight and win the war on terror, so that we do not have to fight it here in America.” — Mark Kennedy
Photo courtesy ForAmerica.org
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September 11th, 2012
FNH has released a “TBM” upgrade kit for owners of FNH SPR rifles with the standard .308-size, 4-round DBM magazine assembly. This kits lets current SPR owners utilize the TBM (tactical box magazine) assembly with 5- and 10-round magazines. This easy-to-install kit provides SPR owners with an ambidextrous mag release, along with the ability to use larger-capacity box magazines.
This $449.00 Kit comes with new trigger guard/bottom metal, both 5-round and 10-round TBM magazines, new action screws and instructions. For SPRs with box mags, this is a drop-in, no-gunsmithing upgrade that does not require gun modification or fitting to the rifle. (TSRs or PBRs with DBM equipment might require fitting by a gunsmith). Retrofit on SPRs can be accomplished in minutes with common tools (torque wrench required). Kits are available now through the FNH USA E-Store, Brownells, and Midway USA (item number 62655-01, MSRP $449).
September 10th, 2012
On his Facebook Page, Gunsmith Thomas ‘Speedy’ Gonzales featured the Sure Feed cartridge caddy by Tim Sellars. This device works well, and Tim can customize the height to fit your rifle and rest elevation. Speedy reports: “Here’s the new double-stack Sure Feed made by Tim Sellars out of Ft. Worth, Texas. This is one he made for me for my PPC. Each column holds 10 rounds plus five additional hole on the side for sighters or for holding a different test load. Tim makes these for all calibers and work great if you need to dump rounds down-range fast. Each consecutive round slides out and goes directly into the chamber without having to orient it into the correct position.”
To order a Sure Feed Cartridge Caddy (either the original single-stack or the new double-stack model), send email to sel248 [at] aol.com, or call Tim at 817-581-7665, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Speedy adds: “Tim is very accommodating and will build just about whatever [size caddy] you want.” Single-column caddies are $85.00 (short) and $95.00 (tall). Call for prices on the double-stack models.
Sure Feed Ammo Caddies
Tim Sellars – Sure Feed
4704 Redondo Street
North Richland Hills, TX 76180
Phone: (682) 240-7690 (cell)
eMail: sel248 [at] aol.com
September 10th, 2012
Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics LLC, will be providing daily Spirit of America Match updates via the Applied Ballistics Facebook page. The match kicked off yesterday, September 9th, in Raton, New Mexico. Bryan says “Stay tuned this week as the drama unfolds and the best individuals and teams compete for the Championship”. Here is Bryan’s initial report:
 The Spirit Of America Match kicked off [Sunday] at the NRA Whittington center in Raton, NM. Clear skies, good weather and gentle winds greeted shooters from the USA as well four visiting countries: Australia, Canada, South Africa, and Germany. Applied Ballistics produced ammunition for both the South African and Australian teams. Bill might have done his job too well, since two out of the eight people ahead of him in the F/TR class are South African shooters whose ammo he personally loaded!
Bryan is one point behind leader Nancy Tompkins in the sling class (Nancy cleaned the course today!). Bill Wittman is four points ahead of second place in F-Open with a 446-22X!
Click links for Day One results for sling, F-Open, and F-TR shooters: F-Open | F-TR | Sling Division
September 10th, 2012
Founded by Marc Jamison, Jamison International built its reputation as a producer of unique, obsolete, and hard-to-find brass cartridge cases, including military, hunting, and African game calibers. Unfortunately, Jamison Int’l halted production 9 months ago. However, here is good news for shooters — Jamison’s machines are running again….
Jamison International has been “reconstituted” as a Division of Captech International. Jamison Int’l, now part of Captech, has moved its operations from Sturgis, SD to a new, 31,000 square-foot facility in Rapid City, SD. The new facility also offers ample room for expansion and machine refurbishment to reduce the cycle-time between production runs of Jamison’s cartridge cases. Marc Jamison will continue to oversee cartridge brass production operations to ensure quality standards.
Captech is now accepting orders on all of the previously Jamison-produced calibers as well as Jamison’s basic brass line for forming. “Many unique cases are currently available in stock and more are in production each week”, said a company spokesperson. CLICK HERE for list of Captech/Jamison cartridge brass products.
For more information, or to place orders, contact:
Kathy Greenhaw
Phone: (605) 791-1974
Email: Kathy.g [at] Captechintl.com
www.CaptechIntl.com
History of Jamison International
 In the late 1990s Marc Jamison decided the gun industry needed a producer of custom and obsolete cartridge brass. So in 1996 Marc founded Rocky Mountain Tool and Armory (RMTA) in Huntington Beach, California. In 2001 Jamison moved the business and machinery from California to Sturgis, South Dakota. The name of the company was then changed from RMTA to Jamison International. In 2003 Marc Jamison teamed up with Corey Kupersmith, who had recently acquired Cheyenne Tactical (CheyTac USA). This new partnership was called Jamison International VLLC. Together they purchased the assets of Bell Brass (aka Bell Extrusion Laboratories Ltd.) and then acquired equipment from PMC (aka Eldorado Cartridge Corporation). In its heydey, Jamison Int’l produced a wide variety of cartridge brass, as well as CheyTac ammunition, and lathe-turned .375 and .408 bullets.
September 10th, 2012
 The new, 34th Edition of the Gun Trader’s Guide has just been released. This fully-illustrated resource features current market values for thousands of rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Along with the Blue Blue of Gun Values, the Gun Trader’s Guide is one of the two definitive resources on gun prices. If you buy or sell firearms, the Gun Traders’ Guide is a must-have item that will pay for itself. Over two million copies of the Gun Trader’s Guide have been sold to date. Order soon to be one of the first to own the new 34th Edition. Amazon’s price is $18.64 with free shipping for combined orders over $25.00.
You can order the Gun Trader’s Guide (34th Ed.), the Blue Book of Gun Values and other popular firearms and shooting books through the AccurateShooter Bookstore. To save you time, we’ve collected the best books on shooting, reloading, hunting, and gunsmithing all in one location. Ordering, secure billing, and shipping are all handled efficiently by Amazon.com.
September 9th, 2012
 Chris Cox, Exec. Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), recently interviewed Gov. Mitt Romney, GOP Presidential candidate. Cox posed a number of questions relating to the Second Amendment and firearms regulations. We recommend that you visit NRAILA.org and read the Full Interview with Gov. Romney.
Here are sample Q&As from the NRA-ILA interview:
Chris Cox: First, let me start with the most basic question of all. In the 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, and in the 2010 case McDonald v. City of Chicago, the U.S. Supreme Court—by a 5-4 majority—held that the Second Amendment guarantees the fundamental, individual right of all law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms. Do you agree that the Second Amendment protects a fundamental, individual right to own and use firearms for all lawful purposes?
Gov. Mitt Romney: Absolutely, and I was pleased when the Court finally rendered a clear and concise decision on this critical issue. The Second Amendment is essential to our free society. I strongly support the right of all law-abiding Americans to exercise their constitutionally protected right to own firearms and to use them for lawful purposes, including self-defense; the protection of family and property; hunting and recreational shooting.
Chris Cox: Obviously, America’s 100 million gun owners are very concerned that their Second Amendment rights hang in the balance at the U.S. Supreme Court by just one vote. President Obama’s two nominees to the Court so far—Justices Sotomayor and Kagan—have a history of anti-gun opinions and activism. And some have predicted that if Barack Obama is re-elected, he may have the opportunity to nominate several more justices to the Court. As president, if you had the opportunity, what type of individuals would you nominate to the Supreme Court? And which of the justices currently serving on the Court would you consider to be the best models of your judicial philosophy?
Gov. Romney: Chris, I believe the next president could indeed have the opportunity to shape the Court for decades to come, and that’s a key reason why the tens of millions of Americans who support the NRA should support my candidacy. My view of the Constitution is straightforward: Its words have meaning. The founders adopted a written constitution for a reason. They intended to limit the powers of government. The job of a judge is to enforce the Constitution’s restraints on government and, where the Constitution does not speak, to leave the governance of the nation to its elected representatives[.]
CLICK HERE to Read Full Interview with Gov. Mitt Romney.
The 2012 Presidential race is shaping up as a close contest. With two months left before election day, many key “swing states” remain “too close to call”. Accordingly, experts believe that this election could go either way, meaning both Presidential candidates have a real chance to win in October. Some polls show President Obama maintaining a slight lead in the popular vote, while other forecasters predict Gov. Mitt Romney will secure enough Electoral College votes to win. In a tight election like this, your vote DOES matter. That’s why, no matter what your party affiliation, we encourage you to register and vote in the upcoming election.
September 9th, 2012
This article first appeared in 2011.
JayChris, AccurateShooter.com’s IT “guru”, has tested three different digital scales. The first is the relatively inexpensive ($150.00) GemPro 500, the second was the $333.00 Sartorius AY123, which is very similar to the Denver Instrument MXX123 and Acculab-123. Lastly, JayChris tested his $1225.00 Sartorius GD503 lab scale. The 3-way comparison test produced interesting findings. We learned that the AY123 had some serious shortcomings when used to weigh powder. The GemPro 500 performed well for the price, but was quite a bit slower than the big GD503. In speed of response, accuracy of measurement, resistance to drift, and overall reliability, the GD503 was the clear winner in our comparison. Sometimes you do get what you pay for. CLICK HERE for GD503 Review with Videos.
BATTLE of the BALANCES
Three-Way Comparison Test: GemPro 500, Sartorius AY123, Sartorius GD503
Testing Report by JayChris
Precision Weighing Balances, www.balances.com, an authorized Sartorius Distributor, shipped me an AY123 (same as Denver MXX123, Acculab 123, etc.) along with a high-end GD503 force restoration scale. I had purchased the GD503, while the AY123 was a loaner for this comparison test. I included in this test a GemPro 500 scale that I already had. My key objective in this comparison test was to test each scale for measurement drift over time. We wanted to see if the displayed weight of a given object (here a certified test weight), would change over time, or with repeated measurements.
The first test was a “quick” test, where I measured the same weight ten (10) times, in the same order, about every 30 seconds or so. I did this at about the same speed as weighing out powder, maybe a bit slower. This took about 5 or 6 minutes. The second test was more-or-less an overnight test, where I measured the same weight in lengthening intervals, starting every 10 minutes, then every 30, then every 60, and so on. You can see the time series on the included graphs.
TEST SETUP:
– I used the same 100 GRAM Sartorius certified check weight for every test (see photo). Note: 100 GRAMS = 1543.233 GRAINS
– I calibrated each scale within 30 seconds of each other before starting the test.
– I tare’d each scale within a few seconds of each other
– All three scales are connected to the same line conditioning PDU and are located in the same environment (right next to each other)
Measurement Resolution and Display Increments
– The Sartorius AY123 measures to the nearest hundredth of a grain (.00). Increments are in 0.02 grain divisions, i.e. the nearest two hundredth of a grain.
– The Sartorius GD503 measures to the nearest thousandth of a grain (.000). Increments are in 0.005 grain divisions, i.e. the nearest five thousandth of a grain.
– The GemPro 500 measures to the nearest half-tenth of a grain (.05).
NOTE: When weighing powder, I weigh to the nearest .05 grain so any of these provide adequate (or more-than) resolution.
FIRST SERIES Quick Test:
* X-axis is weighing series iteration
SECOND SERIES Time-based:
* X-axis is a time series in minutes-from-0.
THIRD SERIES AY123 “Stable” vs. “Unstable”:
* X-axis is a weighing series iteration
This is a test of the AY123 in “Stable” vs. “Unstable” environment mode. The GD503 was used for comparison. I ran this test to compare the AY123 in “Stable” conditions mode (default) vs. “Unstable” conditions mode, based on anecdotal reports that the “Unstable” mode produces more consistent results. I did not find that to be so. In addition, I found that the weighing time for the “Unstable” mode was extremely slow — taking nearly 5 – 7 seconds per instance to complete a measurement. It then takes a few seconds to return to zero. In the AY123’s default “Stable” mode, it takes a second or so. Based on my testing then, there is no advantage to running the AY123 (or similar clones) in the “unstable mood”. It will simply slow you down.
Observations and Conclusions
Overall, the GD503 was the most consistent, never varying more than .005 (five-thousandths) of a grain, which is about ten times less drift than the next closest scale. The GemPro was “close” behind, never varying more than .05 of a grain. The AY123 was consistently variable and lost significant resolution over time. It was difficult to plot the AY123 results because it rarely settled at a weight for longer than a few seconds — it would routinely come up with a different weight every few seconds, varying by as much as .04 of a grain. I selected the first reading it “settled” on as the “official” reading.
The one thing this test does NOT demonstrate is trickling — our previous Review of the GD503 has a video that shows that nicely. The GD503 gives you near instantaneous read-outs when trickling. By contrast, both the AY123 and GemPro 500 require a “trickle-and-wait-for-update” plan. The GD503 is really dramatically better in its ability to return a “final” weight very quickly. This allows efficient trickling. CLICK HERE for GD503 Review with Videos.
[UPDATE: One of our readers observed that there is a setting which can make the AY123 more responsive (and accurate) when trickling charges: “Note that the video shows the 123 jumping as powder is added. The reason is the scale is in the default setting, which is for single weightings. When changed to ‘Filling’ mode, the scale reacts very quickly, and in my case accurately. Trickling is easy in the ‘Filling’ mode. My experience is that the AY123 is an excellent scale, but is sensitive to environmental factors. The GD503 is way better and is also way more expensive.” — Matt P.]
GemPro 500 Performed Well — Drift Was Usually Minimal and Charges Settle Fairly Quickly
I’ve used the GemPro 500 for quite a while now and have found it to be fairly reliable. However, over one previous loading session I have seen it drift as much as .150 of a grain. I had to go back and re-weigh charges because of this. Therefore, I tend to tare it every five (5) weighings or so which is probably overkill based on one case. I’ve not had that problem since so I am guessing something happened environmentally (maybe I bumped it or something). Overall, the GemPro is not overly sensitive to environment and settles fairly quickly and reliably.
Charges Weighed by SD503 Have More Consistent Velocities, with lower SDs
I’ve loaded a few hundred rounds with the GD503 now. I have not found it to drift more than .010 of a grain in that time. So, now, I only tend to tare it once at the beginning of a load session. I have gotten extremely consistent velocities from charges loaded with this scale, with single-digit standard deviations. By contrast, previously, my best efforts usually resulted in standard deviations (SDs) in the low teens.
Based on my experience testing the AY123, I would not choose this scale to load powder with. The readings are just too variable. The slightest environment factors (breathing, hand movement, etc.) cause large changes in results. I tried to load some rounds using this scale (backed by my GD503 to verify) and I couldn’t do better than a few tenths of a grain, and that was with considerable effort. The Sartorius AY123 is really the wrong tool for the job when it comes to measuring powder.
Thanks to Precision Weighing Balances for providing the AY123 for comparison. The other two scales, the GemPro 500 and GD503, I purchased on my own nickel. [Editor’s Note: When purchased in 2011, Jay’s GD503 cost approximately $900.00. The current 2012 price at Balances.com is $1225.00.] All three of these digital scales can be purchased through the Precision Weighing Balances webstore:
September 8th, 2012
Story based on report by Kyle Jillson in NRAblog.
Carl Bernosky wasn’t the only shooter to win an award at the 2012 High Power Rifle Championships. The ten-time champ* was joined at the Award Ceremonies by plenty of other talented competitors who received awards for High Woman, High Junior, High Senior and many other classifications.
National Championship
First Place: Carl R. Bernosky, Ashland, PA, 2391-141x
Second Place: SGT Sherri J. Gallagher, Englewood, CO, 2390-131x
Third Place: Staff Sergeant Brandon K. Green, Fort Benning, GA, 2388-135x
Winners of Other Trophies and Awards
Here is a gallery showing many of the award winners at the 2012 National High Power Championships. These photos were taken backstage at the awards ceremony. Below the gallery, winners in both Service and Match Division are listed, along with their awards and relevant scores.
*Carl Bernosky won the Match Rifle Trophy in 1981, putting him at eleven all-time, but D. I. Boyd outshot him with the service rifle by one point, bringing about one of the rare occasions the Service Rifle Champion is also the overall winner.
September 8th, 2012
 The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has created a new BSA National Foundation to promote firearms safety training and marksmanship instruction for Boy Scouts. An initial $500,000 donation by Larry and Brenda Potterfield will serve to kick-start the BSA Foundation’s operations. As long-time supporters of their local BSA council, the Potterfields wanted to help more Scouts across America gain experience, confidence and expertise when it came to firearm safety and the shooting sports.
“The BSA is the country’s greatest developer of leadership in youth and Brenda and I are strong supporters of programs whose objective is to help develop the leaders of tomorrow,” said MidwayUSA founder and CEO Larry Potterfield. “Shooting sports is one of the most popular activities in Scouting and this gift is designed to help more youth have that experience.”
With its initial $500,000 in funding, the BSA National Foundation hopes to award approximately 20 grants beginning in 2013. Grant funds may be used for, but are not limited to, the purchase of ammunition, firearms, targets, firearm cleaning supplies, eye and ear protection, awards, shooting facility fees and travel expenses for Scouts to attend approved shooting competitions. For more info visit www.BSAFoundation.org or call the BSA Foundation at (972) 580-2219.
 CLICK HERE for BSA National Shooting Sports Manual.
Over 70,000 Scouts earn the Shotgun or Rifle Shooting Merit Badges each year, which requires safety education, various shooting sports experiences, and outstanding marksmanship.
Founded in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) currently serves nearly three million youths annually with leadership training and character development programs.
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