We’ve had some problems with our venerable RCBS Chargemaster (overcharges that display incorrectly, even after a second weighing), so we decided to dispense one grain low and then trickle up on a Lab Scale with the latest Magnetic Force Restoration (MFR) load cell technology. Though still quite expensive, MFR scales respond very quickly and accurately, so they are ideal for trickling. To optimize the trickling process, we acquired an Omega 2-Speed Powder Trickler. This $69.95 gadget works great with an MFR scale, allowing you to quickly and easily “finish off” charges with extreme precision — no more than a couple of kernels variance in your load. (With a typical extruded powder, a tenth of a grain is four to five kernels).
Omega 2-Speed Trickler
Most reloaders have used a manual powder trickler at one time or another. However, they can be frustrating to use for a variety of reasons — e.g. the tube is too short, or the trickler is too low, or the unit isn’t stable enough, or the unit doesn’t hold enough powder.
Well, the inventors of the Omega 2-speed Powered Powder Trickler have considered all those practical shortcomings in existing tricklers, and built a superior product — a “better mouse trap.”
Every aspect of the battery-powered Omega 2-Speed Trickler (from Dandy Products LLC) shows smart thinking. First, hopper height can be adjusted from 1/2″ to 5.5″ high. The tube is long enough to reach the middle of large-footprint electronic scales. And the outer end of the tube is cut at an angle, so you can see the powder kernels as they flow out — no more surprise clumps that raise your charge 0.3 grains. The powder hopper itself is bigger than most, holding a full 1000 grains. That lets you load all afternoon without having to constantly replenish your trickler.
There is also a vinyl-clad, yellow “tuner” weight. You can slide this back and forth on the arm to adjust the powder flow. Once you get it set for your choice of powder, with a little practice, you can dispense one to two kernels reliably with a single, quick touch of the Omega’s dispense button.
In practice, the Omega trickler is easy to use. It is reasonably fast, while being as precise as anything on the market. The unit is controlled by a two-button control pad, with a black button for slow feed and red button for fast feed. You can use the fast button to load the bulk of reloading powder and then use the slow button to maximize the accuracy of your load. The control pad is connected to the dispenser by a 24″ cable. That two-foot cable run allows plenty of trickler placement options on your bench. Watch the video review below to see the Omega Trickler in use. (Review by UK-based “1967 Spud”).
Review of Omega Two-Speed Tricker
Omega User Comments
Posting on 24HourCampfire.com, JasonK gave the Omega Trickler high marks: “This thing rocks! It can trickle fast, it can trickle slow, it can drop a kernel or two at a time. After ordering my Omega I quickly shopped for an Acculab VIC-123 scale, accurate to within .02 grains.”
Another Omega user, In2Deep, writes: “You can actually tap the low-speed button and drop kernels while watching the scale. After a little practice it only takes a few seconds to trickle up a load. Using an Acculab 123 scale, it can drop charges that repeatedly read down to around 4 one-hundredth’s of a grain. It turned out to be a tool that really works and saves time. There are rubber feet on the unit and surprisingly it does not cause interference with the digital scale which is often mentioned as a problem with most of the vibratory tricklers. Not many products are even worth the time to do a testimonial but this is a winner[.]”
Forum member Barry O (aka TheBlueEyedBear) has been using an Omega Trickler for a while, and he currently has a second-generation (upgraded) unit on his bench. Barry likes the unit, with some reservations. Barry tells us: “it took me some time to get used to it. One main gripe is the length of time it takes to get the thing primed and ready to dispense powder. But after that, not too bad. I still use my trusty tweezers for fine tuning loads.”
Thanks to Boyd Allen for suggesting this product for review.
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Report by Dick Grosbier for theIBS
This past weekend, score shooters from as far away as Florida and Maine gathered at the beautiful Thurmont Conservation & Sportsman’s Club (TCSC) range in Thurmont, Maryland. They were there for the 19th Annual Bud Pryor Memorial Match. This match is also the Maryland State 100-200-300 championship. It is a pivotal match in the Score Shooter Of the Year (SSOY) race because 60 points are up for grabs (as many as are awarded at the Score Nationals).
The Bud Pryor Match is a three-day event. Competitors shoot at 100 yards on Friday, and at 200 yards on Saturday. On Sunday is the infamous 300-yard stage — the “great equalizer” that separates the good shooters from the great shooters.
On Friday morning the 100-yard stage started rainy and miserable (though not too cold). As the day went on the wind picked up some and before we were done I actually compared it to how wet and windy it was in Orrington, Maine two weeks earlier. Herb Llewellyn set a blistering pace at 100 yards, turning in a 250-24X performance in some challenging conditions. He was followed closely at 23X by David Apple. A total of twenty-seven “clean” 250s were shot in VFS class at 100. Also very noteworthy, in Hunter class Dean Breeden shot 250-17X and Gary Long shot 16X.
Saturday at 200 the rain was gone (mostly), and the temperature got up to around 80. All eyes were on Herb Llewellyn after his performance on Friday. He shot the only 50-5X target in match one so many were watching as he planted a 9 on his target on match 3. So much for him (we thought). But Kim Llewellyn ended up on the top of the pile at the end of the day with a 250-10X score. (Kim edged Ricky Read, who also shot 250-10X, under Creedmoor rules). On Saturday, there were six 250s in VFS and Gary Long won Hunter class with a fine 247-3X score. Saturday night we had a great BBQ dinner at the Club House and the 100-yard and 200-yard awards were distributed. (This permitted shooters to leave earlier on Sunday afternoon.)
Score Shooter of the Year — How the Point System Works
The Score Shooter of the Year is determined on a point basis. For a regular two-yardage (with Grand) match (not a State or National Championship), a maximum of 30 Points are available to the winner. That’s 10 for each yardage (100/200) and 10 for the Grand. The same match in a State Championship situation has 45 points available. A National Championship with up to 50 guns in class is worth 20+20+20 or 60 Points. Because it includes three yardages plus a Grand Agg, the Bud Pryor event is a 60-point match just like the Nationals. Likewise the Maine Firecracker held over Memorial Day weekend is also a 60-point match. These 60-point matches are very important because no matter how many matches in which the shooter competes, he only gets to count his ten best in the final standings. My friend Allie Euber, Score Shooter of the Year in 2007 and 2010, notes that these 60-point matches are essential if you want to make a serious run at Score Shooter Of the Year.
Sunday promised to be a tough day of shooting at 300 yards. The warm 83° temperatures, combined with the very wet ground, might have made for horrible mirage. Luckily the day was overcast for the most part. Mirage did get bad a few times but never as horrible as I have seen at Thurmont. Wind was constant and switchy. At the end of the day one lone shooter, Roy Hunter, was clean for the weekend with a 750-26X (and 250-5X at 300). Roy was shooting a 6PPC and his performance was no fluke as Roy was one of only two clean shooters at last years “Bud”.
All in all it was a very full three days of shooting. We had a number of first time attendees most of whom told me they had a great time and looked forward to next years “Bud”. — Dick Grosbier
This item should make you guys smile. An anti-gun organization, StopNRA.org, has shot itself in the foot, figuratively speaking. The StopNRA group, which opposes the NRA and seeks to curtail Second Amendment freedoms, put up a reader poll on its StopNRA.org website. The poll asked: “Do you agree or disagree with NRA gun policies?” Well it turns out that over 71% of respondents AGREE with NRA policies. So, the anti-gun poll has back-fired, big time. View poll results here:
We all know that reloading components have been in short supply in recent months. If you’ve been searching for quality brass, your wait may be over.
A boatload of Lapua cartridge brass has crossed the Atlantic, cleared customs, and is now in warehouses. Many large vendors report that they have ample supplies of Lapua brass in stock now. So if you need some cartridge cases, place your orders today.
Here is a summary of the cartridge types in stock, vendor by vendor. Sorry, no 6mmBR brass on hand at these outfits, but you’ll find most other types of Lapua rifle brass:
Lapua Rifle Cartridge Brass in Stock as of 6/12/2013
Swarovski Optik NA (Swarovski) has completely updated its website at www.swarovskioptik.com. The redesigned web page is divided into three main categories: hunting, nature, and travel & leisure. You’ll find in-depth product information with images, spec sheets and videos. There are easy-to-use, mobile-friendly links for Rifle Scopes, Spotting Scopes, Rangefinders (optronics), Binoculars, and Digiscoping Accessories. The enhanced site also features a Swarovski Blog with articles on optics products, hunting, and tech matters such as ballistics and lens technologies.
Caroline McDonald, Swarovksi Marketing Services Manager, tells us: “The redesign of the website will make it easier for our consumers and dealers to research and learn more about the Swarovski Optik brand and products.” The new website also incorporates an E-Shop, where consumers can purchase most Swarovski products directly, other than rifle scopes. Product descriptions include photo galleries and video clips. Here’s a video of the innovative Swarovski Modular ATX/STX Spotting Scope System:
Swarovski Ballistic Program
Swarovksi’s updated website includes an “Apps” section with software for mobile devices and smartphones. Swarovski currently offers a handy, FREE ballistic calculator App designed for use with Swarovski Distance Reticles or the Ballistic Turret. This App delivers two types of outputs. For Swaro scopes with long-distance reticles, the App generates aiming points. For Swaro scopes with ballistic-matched turrest, the App provides click values for various yardages and wind values. The App is available for iPhone, iPad, and for Android Devices.
In order to promote safe and secure firearms storage, the National Shooting Sportz Foundation (NSSF) has launched its S.A.F.E. Summer Campaign. S.A.F.E. stands for:
Secure your firearms when not in use.
Aware of those around you who should not have unauthorized access to guns.
Focus on your responsibility as a firearm owner.
Educate yourself and others about safe firearm handling and storage.
NSSF has pledged $1 million to provide firearms safety kits (with a gun lock) to gun owners nationwide. Several lock-distribution events will be announced in the coming weeks. Safety information will be provided through social media and the Project ChildSafe website. NSSF reminds us that firearms owners have many ways to safely store their firearms when not in use. Here are some of your options:
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You may recall that Forum member Rodney Wagner (aka “Eggman”) shot a 0.349″ (50-2x) group at 600 yards to set two IBS records. This is the smallest 600-yard group in history. With his BAT-actioned Dasher, Rodney put five shots inside a dime at six hundred yards. This is one of the most amazing feats of shooting ever. And now the gun is gone. It was stolen, along with a second benchrest rifle. The combined value of the two guns is over $11,000, but the record gun is priceless.
Rodney’s Record-Setting Rifle Stolen — We Need Your Help
Over the weekend, Rodney Wagner had two valuable benchrest rifles stolen from his truck. Yes, the BAT-actioned Dasher that shot the historic 0.349″ 5-shot group was stolen, along with a second long-range Benchrest Rifle. The theft took place at a motel in Hendersonville, NC.
We request the help of our readers in recovering these two rifles for Rodney. Help us get the word out — talk to your shooting friends, post this story on other forums, link to it on Facebook. Insurance, if any is available at all, will only cover a small part of the loss. But we all know that this isn’t all about the money. You can’t just write a check and buy a rifle that shoots an 0.349″ group at 600 yards. Ironically, the thieves probably have no idea of the special nature of the guns they stole.
Stolen Rifle One: IBS Record-Setting 17-lb benchrest rifle. The BAT B action has serial number B778. It has a white, gray, and black Shehane ST-1000 fiberglass stock, and a Brux 6mm barrel chambered for the 6mm Dasher. A March 10-60x52mm scope (with tactical knobs) is fitted in Burris Signature rings on top. The action is a Right bolt, Left Port, Right Eject.
Stolen Rifle Two: IBS 17-lb Benchrest Rifle. Borden Rimrock action has serial number BR0253. It has a red and black Shehane ST-1000 fiberglass stock, and Brux 6mm barrel fitted with a VAIS muzzle brake. A March 10-60x52mm scope with tactical knobs was on top. We are still looking for photos of this rifle. It appears very similar to the first rifle, but with a red and black stock and a Rimrock action.
It does NOT appear that thieves were specifically targeting the record-setting rifle. The Hendersonville Police told us that another theft was reported at about the same time in the same neighborhood. They called this “an ordinary crime of opportunity”.
Folks, please keep your eyes out for these two rifles. These are distinctive guns — not what you’d see everyday at a pawn shop (or even at most gun ranges). Please tell other folks in the firearms community to be on the look-out. Also, the thieves might try to unload the two March 10-60X Scopes separately. Look for March Serial Numbers X341 and X291. You can use this link to point people to this story: http://bit.ly/14PtT5o.
If you have any information, please contact officer Peter Laite of the Hendersonville (NC) Police Department. Call 828-697-3025 or email: plaite [at] cityofhendersonville.org
$1000.00 Reward Offered
AccurateShooter.com will provide a Five Hundred Dollar ($500.00) reward to any individual who returns the two guns in undamaged condition or provides information that leads directly to the recovery of the two guns in undamaged condition.
In addition, Rodney Wagner will pay a $500.00 reward if the two rifles are recovered intact and undamaged. This makes the total reward $1000.00. That’s $500 from AccurateShooter.com, and $500 from Rodney Wagner.
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Cabela’s Web Deals and In-Store Sales
June 16 (next Sunday) is Father’s Day. Throughout this week Cabela’s is running a Father’s Day Sale with some web specials on outdoor merchandise. Plus there are in-store-only sales at most Cabela’s retail outlets around the country. CLICK HERE for a list of stores, then click “Store Info” for the store nearest you. That will take you to a page where you can view the Father’s Day flyer for that store. Below are some special promotions running this week:
Smith & Wesson m1911 Series E Pistols, $899.99
Liberty Safes — 0% Interest and No Payments for 12 Months
Browning and Winchester Firearms — 0% Interest and No Payments for 12 Months
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Here’s good news for Applied Ballistics Mobile App users with Samsung smart-phones, running the latest OS. Bryan Litz reports: “For those who were experiencing problems with the Applied Ballistics Mobile app on the new Galaxy S4 devices, I’m happy to announce that the problem has been resolved. App users should have the update already — once you have a network connection, the App will check for the update, which will be pushed out to the device.”
Want smoother chamfers on your case-mouths? Here’s a simple tip that can: 1) remove the sharp edge left by chamfering blades; and, 2) create a smoother entry for your bullets. Smoothing the inside chamfer can avoid nicks on your bullet jackets, and can also make bullet seating more consistent.
If you are using a 45° rocket tool on newly-trimmed brass, start your inside chamfer with two or three turns in the normal cutting direction. Keep the tool centered, and use light-to-moderate pressure — you don’t need to remove a lot of brass. After your cutting turns (which should reveal a shiny chamfer line), take out the tool, inspect the neck and remove any small brass chips or shavings.
Now here’s the secret — put your tool back in the neck and go in the reverse direction for a couple partial turns. Again, be sure to keep the tool centered and use a light touch. The reverse rotation of the rocket tool inside the case mouth will burnish and smooth the chamfer. Next you can make a quick spin with some fine steel wool held in your fingers. Don’t grind away — you do NOT want to get rid of all the carbon in the neck. As a last step we run a hand-held nylon brush in the neck for 2-3 quick passes to further smooth out the chamfer and remove any residue from the steel wool.
We think, if you use this procedure, your will find that your bullets seat more smoothly and consistently. That can improve accuracy and help avoid mysterious fliers.
You can use this same technique even if you prefer a sharper angle chamfer tool for your initial inside-neck chamfering operation. Reverse your tool gently a couple turns to burnish and smooth the cut. And always remove brass chips and shavings before you run the tool backwards (in the non-cutting direction).
Don’t Forget to Smooth the Outside Chamfer Too
You can also use the backwards rotation trick on outside chamfers to smooth and soften the sharp edge. A little steel wool, applied judiciously, can help here. If you are chamfering a large number of cases after trimming, you may want to tumble the brass in corn-cob or walnut media after the chamfering procedure. Tumbling further smooths the chamfer. You want a nice, smooth chamfer with no burrs or sharp edges.
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Nosler, Inc. has acquired Silver State Armory (SSA), an ammunition and cartridge brass manufacturer in Washington state. Nosler’s goal in taking over SSA’s product line and manufacturing capacity is to increase production in response to the current high demand for ammunition and reloading components.
According to Nosler’s President/CEO, Bob Nosler: “The Silver State acquisition provides a strategic opportunity for Nosler to increase capacity at this unique time in the history of our industry.”
Located in Packwood, Washington, Silver State Armory makes a wide variety of ammunition, loaded in its own cartridge brass with a variety of name-brand bullets (such as Nosler, Barnes, and Sierra). Primary ammo types are 5.56mm/.223 Rem, 6.8 SPC, and 7.62×51 ammo. SSA’s catalog also lists cartridge brass for: 6mm PPC, 5.56x45mm, 6.8mm SPC, .243 WIN, .260 REM, 7.62x51mm, and .308 Win, .270 Win, and .300 Win Mag.
Founded in 1948, Nosler is a family-owned company located in Bend, Oregon. Nosler, best known for its Partition® and Ballistic Tip® bullets, manufactures premium ammunition as well as component bullets and brass. Nosler also produces semi-custom rifles for domestic and international customers. In March of 2012, Nosler became ISO 9001:2008 certified.
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Take heed — if you want to compete at the 2013 U.S. F-Class Nationals and F-Class World Championships this July in Raton (NM) you need to register right away. Don’t delay! Individual registration for both of these events will close on June 15, 2013. That’s just one week away. Match organizers tell us that: “No entries will be accepted after that date.” Also Team entries for the F-Class Worlds will be closed as of June 15, 2013. There will be no late entries accepted at the range.
However, per program announcements, Team entries for the F-Class Nationals (not the Worlds) will be accepted at the range. But individuals MUST still register by June 15, and Teams for the World Championships must be registered by that date also. Currently, 31 teams have registered for the event: 6 F-Open National Teams, 13 F-Open 4-man teams, 7 F-TR National Teams, and 5 F-TR 4-man Teams.
The 2013 F-Class Nationals and World Championpships are being hosted by the Bald Eagles Rifle Club. Click the links below to download further information on the U.S. F-Class Nationals and World Championships at Raton, NM:
Omega 2-Speed Trickler
On Friday morning the 100-yard stage started rainy and miserable (though not too cold). As the day went on the wind picked up some and before we were done I actually compared it to how wet and windy it was in Orrington, Maine two weeks earlier. Herb Llewellyn set a blistering pace at 100 yards, turning in a 250-24X performance in some challenging conditions. He was followed closely at 23X by David Apple. A total of twenty-seven “clean” 250s were shot in VFS class at 100. Also very noteworthy, in Hunter class Dean Breeden shot 250-17X and Gary Long shot 16X.
We all know that reloading components have been in short supply in recent months. If you’ve been searching for quality brass, your wait may be over.
Swarovski Ballistic Program
You can use this same technique even if you prefer a sharper angle chamfer tool for your initial inside-neck chamfering operation. Reverse your tool gently a couple turns to burnish and smooth the cut. And always remove brass chips and shavings before you run the tool backwards (in the non-cutting direction).
