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November 25th, 2013
 Creedmoor Sports is offering two Holiday Specials with complete Spotting Scope systems, including Spotting Scope (with eyepiece), Scope Cover, and Scope Stand. You can choose between two price levels. If you are on a limited budget, go for the Konus 80mm bundle (item ID Konus-bundle). This includes Konus 80mm spotting scope, Scope Cover, and 3/4″-diameter Polecat Stand with two stand extension rods. These items would normally sell for $607.75, but now you can get them all for $545.00 with Holiday Special Pricing.
Creedmoor Sports also has a Holiday Kowa Scope Package (item ID SCOPEPKG) that can save you $112.65 off the regular $1487.65 price. This is really a nice bundle that should meet the needs of even top High Power competitors.
KOWA SCOPE PACKAGE — For $1375.00 you get all the following:
- Kowa TSN-82SV 82mm Angled Spotting Scope
- 25X Long Eye Relief Eyepiece
- Creedmoor Scope Cover in blue
- Creedmoor 1″-diameter PoleCat Scope Stand
- Two Extension Rods for Stand
- Creedmoor Scope Stand Bag
- See-Through Objective Lens Cover
- Kowa Eyepiece Cover
The regular price for all this hardware is $1487.65, so you save $112.65 with this Kowa Scope Package. That’s a pretty significant savings you can put back into bullets and brass.
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November 23rd, 2013
Roy Bertalotto is an author, precision shooter, varmint hunter and part-time gunsmith. On his website, RVBPrecision.com, you’ll find many interesting feature stories, including “how-to” articles. One project that caught our eye was Roy’s clever rotating-top shooting bench. Simple to build from low-cost components, Roy’s bench design features a raised center section that traverses on rollers. This allows you to move your rifle through a wide arc without having to move your front rest or rear sand bag. Roy’s bench can be built for a fraction of the cost of the big, heavy carousel-style varmint benches. This would make a nice, winter project for anyone handy with simple tools. For a set of plans and list of materials, send email to Robert: RVB100 [at] comcast.net.
This picture shows a conventional front pedestal rest used with a benchrest type rifle. As you can see, the top swivels, allowing a tremendous sweep of the varmint fields.
CLICK HERE to see MORE PHOTOS (16 total.)
The swiveling top moves on metal rollers. These roller devices are available from Trend Lines, or Woodworkers warehouse. Two are required at the front of the movable top.
Below is a close-up of the pivot point.
A conventional folding table leg (from Woodworkers Warehouse) is used in the front. In the rear, Roy’s table uses a single leg fabricated from tubing and aluminum angle iron. This creates a tripod. The three-legged design provides more room for the shooter, and is easier to set up on uneven ground.
Photos courtesy Roy Bertalotto.
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November 23rd, 2013
Weatherby now offers a sub-MOA accuracy assurance on many of its rifles. As shown below, the VANGUARD® Series 2 RC (Range Certified) Varmint rifle comes with a SUB-MOA guarantee as well as a factory-shot target signed by company President Ed Weatherby himself. Other Weatherby “RC” Rifles, such as the new Mark V Ultra Lightweight RC, offer the same guaranteed performance. All RC rifles are guaranteed to shoot SUB-MOA (a three-shot group of .99-inch or less) with specified Weatherby factory or premium ammunition.
Range Certified rifles are tested at Weatherby’s modern indoor range. Range technicians mount premium optics, bore-sight, and test fire each rifle to determine the most accurate load using the Oehler Research 83 Ballistic Imaging System. After testing, the rifle is cleaned and packed (minus optics) with the target signed by Ed Weatherby. Each rifle sports a special RC engraved floorplate.
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November 22nd, 2013
 Hey it’s the end of the work week, so we thought you guys might enjoy a little display of honest-to-goodness American .50-Cal firepower. Today’s video features the General Dynamics GAU-19/B Gatling, shown in a vehicle mount (Part 1) and helicopter side-mount (Part 2). The HumVee-mounted version of this bad boy delivers 1300 rounds per minute of .50 BMG ammo. The effect is awesome to behold. We wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of a GAU. The original GAU-19/A had a selectable rate of fire — either 1,000 or 2,000 rounds per minute. The GAU-19/B, introduced in 2012, provides the same firepower in a much lighter platform, weighing 106 pounds (not counting ammo storage systems).
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November 21st, 2013
It’s a challenge these days to find affordable, general-purpose .22 LR rimfire ammunition. You can find the high-end, expensive stuff at various vendors, but sourcing quality rimfire ammo in the $4.00 to $6.50 per box price range is difficult. If you’re looking for good rimfire training ammo, here’s a new option. Bullets.com, the new shooting supplies vendor, has obtained quantities of Norma, SK, and Lapua rimfire ammo. Bullets.com is one of the few webstores that has the new Norma Tac-22 ammo. This .22 LR ammunition is loaded with a Lead Round Nose 40-grain bullet. It is rated at 1100 FPS with target energy of 110 foot/pounds.
Norma USA Tac-22, $5.95 per 50-rd box | SKU: BL7819
This is the new rimfire ammunition from Norma. We haven’t tested it yet, but based on Norma’s reputation we expect that it offers good performance for the price. It has a 40gr LRN bullet and is designed for all types of rimfire pistols and rifles.
SK Standard Plus .22 LR, $5.95 per 50-rd box | SKU: BL11113
This is good LRN ammo made in Germany by SK. This “Standard Plus” ammo has shot well for us in Anschutz, H&R, Rem 40X, and Suhl rifles and has fed and functioned well in a variety of other rimfire pistols and rifles. We have found that, in most rifles, SK “Standard Plus” shoots much better than the “bulk box” Federal, Remington, or Winchester ammo.
SK Bulk .22LR Ammo, $44.95 per 500-rd Sealed Can | SKU: BL11115
This is SK-brand ammunition, with 500 rounds packed inside a sealed can. Readers who have purchased this ammo in the past say it is very similar to SK Standard Plus. One purchaser said it performed “as good, if not better, than any other sub-match-grade ammo out there.”
Please note, due to high demand of these products, quantity is limited to 1000 cartridges per customer.
NOTE: If you need match-grade ammo, Bullets.com also has Lapua Center-X at $11.95 per 50-rd box and Lapua Midas+ at $17.95 per 50-rd box.
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November 20th, 2013
 NormaUSA recently rolled out a handsome new, easy-to-navigate website. On Norma-USA.com you’ll find information on Norma cartridge brass, bullets, powder and loaded ammunition. The site also offers a collection of videos plus links to Norma Reloading Data.
One highlight of the new Norma website is the new Cartridge of the Month section. This feature provides a detailed history of popular cartridges, along with a discussion of these cartridges’ hunting and target-shooting uses. There are currently five Cartridge of the Month articles, with more to come each month.
Here is a short selection from Aaron Carter’s 6.5×284 Norma Cartridge of the Month Article:
History of the 6.5×284 Norma
Among the few “wildcat” cartridges to ever be legitimized, the 6.5×284 Norma has the distinction of being the only one to succeed when the parent cartridge — the .284 Winchester — was a commercial failure. The 284 Win’s case had unique design features endearing it to wildcatters. Foremost, the non-belted case featured a rebated rim equal in width to that of the .30-06 Springfield. [B]ody diameter tapers from 0.500” ahead of the extractor to 0.475” rearward of the shoulder. The minimal body taper, when combined with a 35-degree shoulder angle, enabled greater propellant capacity. The latter would be particularly appealing to those individuals who, above all else, demanded ultra-high velocities; remember, this was during the period during which the .264 Win Mag, .300 Win Mag, and other “high-performance” cartridges were unveiled. Additionally, the propellant column was in the desirable short, fat column, which purportedly leads to increased accuracy. With this, the maximum average pressure (MAP) was set at an unusually high 56,000 copper units of pressure (C.U.P.); to handle such pressure, the case is obviously quite strong.
Long-range competitors are particularly fond of the 6.5×284 Norma. Why? Propelling bullets with high ballistic coefficients (BCs) to respectable velocities results in less time-to-target (and thus wind deflection), as well as reduced drop. Compared to proven performers of the past, such as the .300 Win. Mag., the 6.5-284 Norma’s recoil is quite mild—thanks to lighter bullet weights combined with smaller propellant charges. Fatigue from recoil negatively affects performance, so less abuse without sacrificing performance is a huge advantage on the firing line.
There are currently five Cartridge of the Month articles on the Norma-USA website:
6.5×284 Norma, by Aaron Carter
.300 Weatherby Magnum, by Wayne Van Zwoll
.300 Weatherby Magnum (Part 2), by Wayne Van Zwoll
.358 Norma Magnum, by Bryce M. Towsley
6.5×284 Norma, by Wayne Van Zwoll
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November 20th, 2013
Tonight’s Episode of Shooting USA TV features the 2013 International Revolver Championship (IRC) from the Hogue Action Shooting Range located near Morro Bay, California. You can see another winning performance by Jerry Miculek. Hosted by the International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts (ICORE), this event draws hundreds of the world’s best wheelgunners. John Scoutten and Mike Irvine cover the action. The show airs on the Outdoor Channel at 3:30 pm and 8:30 pm Eastern Time (check local listings for other zones).
 World’s Best Wheelgunners
The IRC, held May 31 through June 2, 2013, was the highlight of this year’s revolver shooting season. More than 240 of the world’s top revolver shooters negotiated their way through 12 stages of fire putting more than 70,000 rounds down range. Competition at the IRC is divided into three divisions: Classic, Iron Sights, and Open. Classic Division competitors use six shot revolvers and speed loaders, no moon clips allowed. In the Iron Sight Division, shooters are allowed up to eight rounds in the gun, with moon clips to speed reloads. Traditional iron sights are required. The Open Division includes eight-shot cylinders, moon clips, barrel porting, or compensators, and electronic optics.
VIEW 2013 IRC Results
Along with the adult classifications, the IRC features divisions for Junior shooters. The junior events are always crowd-pleasers. Some of these youngsters are definitely future champions in the making. The video below shows the 2009 IRC Junior Shoot-Off for the overall Junior Title.
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November 18th, 2013
 If you really want to learn about long-range hunting, listen to a pro, a man like Nathan Foster who has spent a life-time in the field. Nathan has just released a new book: The Practical Guide to Long Range Hunting Cartridges. You can trust what Nathan says. He has spent decades in the wild, harvesting over 7500 head of game. Nathan’s richly-illustrated, 415-page resource guides you through the process of choosing the best cartridge and projectile(s) for your hunts. The book begins by explaining the key principles of of long-range hunting. Then Nathan examines the pros and cons of various cartridges so that the reader can select the best cartridge and projectile to get the job done.
Nathan is truly a hunting expert. Nathan has spent thousands of hours in the field and he knows the subject cold. Unlike some outdoor writers, Nathan doesn’t pull punches — he tells the unvarnished truth about what works and what doesn’t. Here’s what Nathan says about his new book:
After many months of writing, it is now done, 415 pages of research, each bullet repeat-tested in the field, my research scrutinized by veterinarian surgeons [and] industry peers. It was truly an immense undertaking.
 For several years, I have received two types of email. The first question is which is the right rifle for me? The second question is which is the right cartridge? My first book dealt with the accurate rifle. This second book deals with long range hunting cartridge selection. I firmly believe that there has been a huge gap in education regarding optimal long range hunting cartridge performance. In many instances, both hunters and bullet manufacturers do not understand what’s required to achieve goals. Many times, the wrong tools are used for long range hunting. This book seeks to remedy these problems.
In the Practical Guide to Long Range Hunting Cartridges, I start with the fundamentals of game killing — but from the perspective of the long range hunter (also encountering close range shots). This section is not politically correct in any way, as after the study of anatomy, I explore worst case scenarios in as much depth as ideal shot placement.
The second section of the book is a study of projectile design. I wanted to get right down to the finer details of the long range hunting bullet in this section, exploring manufacturers, manufacturing techniques, and ways in which the end user can perform preliminary testing as well as bullet modifications.
The third section explains how to select a long range hunting cartridge. The system I have used here is based on a selection method I developed over the years to help clients worldwide. This method takes individual circumstances into consideration rather than a one size fits all approach. It is a system that relies on plain common sense based on research.
The fourth section of the book is the cartridge section. Cartridge information is presented in a set format with Pro/Con summary tables. In many instances I have included my own load notes. I have also included notes regarding how to approach close range shots with each of our long range cartridges.
Book Buyer Comment: “Nathan has ‘hit it out of the park’ with his 2nd book, The Practical Guide to Long Range Hunting Cartridges! This is definitely the ‘go-to’ manual for decision-making for hunters around the world. Where else can you fine such a wealth of information on bullet selection for a particular cartridge based on the weight of the animal you intend to pursue. This allows the hunter to make an educated decision on the best cartridge for a particular game species or to load that round, up or down, to cover a variety of game species in their location.” — Jim Moseley, North Carolina, USA
 About the Author: New Zealander Nathan Foster lives and breathes what he teaches. An expert in the field of terminal ballistics, Nathan has taken over 7500 head of game, and has field-tested a vast number of cartridges and projectiles. Nathan’s first book, The Practical Guide to Long Range Hunting Rifles, is widely recognized as one of the best books ever published on the subject. The new book goes into greater detail on specific cartridges. Nathan’s website includes an outstanding online cartridge knowledge base with over 60 detailed cartridge profiles. CLICK HERE for Cartridge INFO.
Nathan runs Terminal Ballistics Research, a small company in Taranaki, New Zealand, that conducts cartridge and projectile performance research. Nathan also operates a long-range shooting school. Nathan is also the creator of MatchGrade Bedding Products.
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November 18th, 2013
 Looking for a shooting range? There’s an App for that. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has released free Where-To-Shoot mobile Apps that locate shooting ranges. This App is offered for Android devices as well as Apple iPhones and iPads.
Available for free in the Apple App Store and Google’s Android App Store, the Where-To-Shoot Apps puts a comprehensive directory of shooting ranges in the palm of your hand. These Apps also include tips for shooters, news, and firearm-safety information.
Users can search by current location or zip code and find specifics about each range, including activities offered, directions, and contact info. The App Databases are updated regularly.
CLICK HERE for Apple iPhone and iPad App.
CLICK HERE for FREE Android App.
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November 16th, 2013
 Caldwell will be introducing a new chronograph in early 2014. By outward appearance, this is a fairly conventional unit, with optical (light-tripped) sensors and “V”-profile sky-screens with plastic diffusers supported by rods. However, the big news is the data output. The new Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph can display shot data and string averages on iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad. A software App allows you to save the data on your iPhone, and you can even export the data via email. That’s handy if you want to archive your test results in a spreadsheet.
Along with the iPhone/iPad display, Caldwell’s new chronograph features a front-facing display screen on the green, barbell-shaped chrono body. As with most other chronographs, the Caldwell unit records velocity of each shot, average velocity (of shot string), Standard Deviation, and Extreme Spread (difference in FPS of fastest shot and slowest shot). One nice feature of Caldwell’s new chronograph is that it can be calibrated. That sounds promising, but remember that to calibrate any chronograph you need test ammo with a very accurately determined baseline velocity. In any case, Caldwell asserts that this new Chronograph is more accurate than some other units on the market, because it runs a faster processor and because it has the calibration option. We haven’t tested the unit yet so we can’t verify claims of improved accuracy.
The Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph comes as a complete package with carrying case, sky-screens, and data cable. No price has been announced, but we expect it to be under $150.00. Incandescent lamps, which are suspended above the sensors, will be available as an optional accessory. These lights permit the unit to be used indoors.
 Android OS Capability in the Future?
Currently, the new Caldwell Chronograph is only able to send data to iOS (Apple) devices. However, the data cable is not Apple-specific, so there is a chance that we may see Android OS compatibility at some time in the future. At SHOT Show in January 2014 we’ll ask the Caldwell technicians about compatibility with Android smartphones and tablets.
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November 16th, 2013
Conventional .308 Winchester brass has a large primer pocket with a large, 0.080″-diameter flash hole. Last year, Lapua began producing special edition .308 Win “Palma” brass that has a small primer pocket and a small flash hole, sized 1.5mm (.059″) in diameter. Tests by U.S. Palma Team members showed that the small-flash-hole .308 brass possibly delivers lower Extreme Spread (ES) and Standard Deviation (SD) with some bullet/powder/primer combinations. All things being equal, a lower ES should reduce vertical dispersion at long range.
Why Might a Small Flash Hole Work Better?
The performance of the small-flash-hole .308 brass caused some folks to speculate why ES/SD might be improved with a smaller flash hole. One theory (and it’s just a theory) is that the small flash hole creates more of a “jet” effect when the primer fires. Contributing Editor German Salazar sought to find out, experimentally, whether this theory is correct. German explained: “During one of the many internet forum discussions of these cases, Al Matson (AlinWA) opined that the small flash hole might cause the primer flash to be propagated forward more vigorously. In his words, it should be like shooting a volume of water through a smaller nozzle, resulting in a flash that reaches further up the case. Now that kind of comment really sparked my curiosity, so I decided to see what I could see.”
More Primer Testing by Salazar
You can read more about this test and other primer experiments on RiflemansJournal.com.
Salazar Primer Tests: Small Rifle Primer Study | Large Rifle Primer Study
Large and Small Flash Hole .308 Cases — But Both with Small Primer Pockets
To isolate the effect of flash hole diameter alone, German set up a test with the two types of .308 case that have a small primer pocket: Remington BR brass with a 0.080″ flash hole and Lapua Palma brass with a 0.062″ flash hole. NOTE: German reamed the Lapua brass to 0.062″ with a Sinclair uniforming tool, so it was slightly larger than the 0.059″ factory spec. The Remington brass has a .22 BR headstamp as this brass was actually meant to be re-formed into .22 BR or 6 BR before there was factory brass available for those cartridges.
German set up his primer testing fixture, and took photos in low light so you can see the propagation of the primer “blast” easily. He first tested the Remington 7 1/2 primer, a primer known for giving a large flame front. German notes: “I thought that if there was a ‘nozzle effect’ from the small flash hole, this primer would show it best. As you can see from the photos, there might be a little bit of a flash reduction effect with this primer and the small flash hole, the opposite of what we expected, but it doesn’t appear to be of a significant order of magnitude.”
Remington BR case, 0.080″ Flash Hole, Remington 7.5 Primer.
Lapua Palma case, 0.062″ Flash Hole, Remington 7.5 Primer.
Next German tested the Wolf .223 primer, an unplated version of the Small Rifle Magnum that so many shooters use. German notes: “This is a reduced flame-front (low flash) primer which has proven itself to be very accurate and will likely see a lot of use in the Lapua cases. With this primer, I couldn’t detect any difference in the flash produced by the small flash hole versus the large flash hole”.
Remington BR case, 0.080″ Flash Hole, Wolf .223 Primer.
Palma case, 0.062″ Flash Hole, Wolf 223 Primer.
German tells us: “I fired five or six of each primer to get these images, and while there is always a bit of variance, these are an accurate representation of each primer type and case type. You can draw your own conclusions from all this, I’m just presenting the data for you. I don’t necessarily draw any conclusions as to how any combination will shoot based on the pictures.”
Results of Testing
Overall, looking at German’s results, one might say that the smaller diameter of the small flash hole does not seem to have significantly changed the length or size of the primer flame front. There is no discernible increased “jet effect”.
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November 16th, 2013
 Kirby Allen of Allen Precision Shooting, www.apsrifles.com, has developed a .30-caliber jumbo-sized magnum he calls the 300 Raptor. The 300 Raptor (center in photo) is based on Allen’s 338 Excalibur parent case (far right in photo), necked down to 30 cal with shoulder moved forward to increase case capacity. Allen states: “This is the largest capacity and performance .30 caliber magnum on the market that can be used in a conventional sized receiver.”
Shoot 200s at 3600 fps
Performance of Allen’s new 300 Raptor is impressive. Allen claims that “200gr Accubonds can be driven to nearly 3600 fps, 230gr Berger Hybrids to 3350 fps, and the 240gr SMK to right at 3300 fps. These loads offered case life in excess of 6-7 firings per case and many of my test cases have over 8 firings on each case so they are not an overly hot load showing the potential of this big .30 caliber.”
To showcase the new cartridge, Allen built up a prototype rifle with a McMillan A5 stock, Raptor LRSS Action with extended tenon, and a Jewell trigger. The first 300 Raptor Rifle is currently on its second barrel, a new 30″, 3-groove 1:9″-twist Lilja in a custom APS “Raptor Contour”. This distinctive dual-fluted contour runs full-diameter almost to the end of the stock, and then steps down and tapers to the muzzle, where a beefy Medium 3-port ‘Painkiller’ Allen Precision brake is fitted.
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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