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March 30th, 2014

Got Steel? NorCal PPRC does…

Today was “Work Day” for our buddy Vu Pham and the members of the Norcal Practical Precision Rifle Club (NCPPRC). That means the boys were hauling out newly-constructed barricades and uncrating a whole lot of new steel, courtesy MGM Targets. Here’s the new steel on display at NorCal’s home range, the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center. Poppers, silhouettes, giant spinners — it’s quite an impressive line-up of steel.

Click for Large Photo
NorCal MGM Targets

How’d you like to have this pallet of armored steel goodies materialize at your house? That’s a serious dose of “Heavy Metal”. Vu Pham (one of NCPPRC’s founders) says: “Thanks Mike Gibson, Travis Gibson, and the folks at MGM for [your] continued support.”

NorCal MGM Targets

New Playground Equipment for the Tactically Inclined
Vu Pham and his NCPPRC co-horts have been busy fabricating new ramps, barriers, and other three-dimensional challenges used in the popular NCPPRC tactical matches. Check out the angled prone platform (bottom photo). We get a little dizzy just looking at it. Notice how the bipod legs have to be set to different lengths to level out the rifle.

NorCal MGM Targets

NorCal MGM Targets

Permalink Tactical 3 Comments »
March 30th, 2014

Top Shooters at Fort Benning ISSF World Cup

The 2014 ISSF World Cup at Fort Benning is underway, and some events have already finished, such as the 10m Air Rifle and 10m Air Pistol. The World Cup, which has attracted many of the world’s top rifle and pistol shooters, continues through April 3, 2014. Here are some photo highlights from the first three days of the Fort Benning World Cup. There were plenty of exotic, expensive rifles and pistols on display — plus a few small toy animals (favored by the lady shooters).


ISSF Fort Benning World Cup Photo Stream

Young Russian Wins First Gold of the Competition
Nazar Luginets, 24, from the Russian Federation, won the first medal match of the competition, the 10m Air Rifle Men event. With 209.4 points, the Russian athlete beat Serbian Milutin Stefanovic, who finished just one tenth behind Luginets. The 2013 Euro Champion, Sergey Richter from Israel, finished third.

10m Air Rifle Winner Nazar Luginets

New Air Pistol Record Set
Hoang Xuan Vinh, from Vietnam, won the 10m Air Pistol Men final, setting a new world record in the process. Currently ranked 8th in the world, The Vietnamese pistol shooter pocketed the Gold medal with a record score of 202.8 points in the final, breaking the previous 202.3-point record set by the 2008 Olympic Champion Pang Wei of China. Hoang beat Russians finalists Sergey Chervyakovskiy, and Vladimir Gontcharov, 36, who finished in second and third place with 202.3 and 181.3 points, respectively. This was an important comeback for Gontcharov, a 14-time ISSF World Cup medalist. Vladimir who started competing back in 1990, had been far from ISSF podiums since 2012.

Photos © International Shooting Sport Federation.
Permalink Competition, News 3 Comments »
March 30th, 2014

Salazar Reviews Modern Exterior Ballistics by Robert McCoy

G. Salazar regularly reviewed important shooting books on his RiflemansJournal.com website. One of the notable treatises reviewed by German is Modern Exterior Ballistics by Bob McCoy, the respected expert from the U.S. Army Ballistics Research Laboratory.

Salazar tells us: “We hope to cover a very wide range of books related to accurate rifles; some will be familiar to experienced students of the rifle, some will be quite obscure. There is no specific time frame for the books, so you may see something from the 19th century one month and a new book hot off the press the next. The only common factor is that these will all be books that have appeal to the serious student of rifle accuracy.” Here is a segment of Salazar’s review of Modern Exterior Ballistics:

Modern Exterior Ballistics – Robert L. McCoy
Review by G. Salazar

Bob McCoy is widely and properly regarded as the dean of modern ballisticians and this book is his most accessible work. For those who are not familiar with McCoy’s work, I can think of no better introduction than these words, written after McCoy’s death, which appear as a dedication to the book over the signatures of 54 of his fellow ballisticians at the U.S. Army Ballistics Research Laboratory:

“This book on exterior ballistics represents the life work and passion of Bob McCoy. It was his wish to leave a historical perspective as well as an accurate technical treatise for both the engineering community and the sporting arms industry. Bob was in fact an aerospace engineer, but he always referred to himself as a ‘ballistician’. He was very proud to have worked for and served the American people for 30 years at the U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory while truly enjoying his passion. Bob was one of the most respected members of the staff of the U.S. Army Ballistics Research Laboratory and had an international reputation in aeroballistics. We will always remember his professionalism, his enthusiasm, his boisterous laugh, his passion for ballistics, and most of all, his friendship. We his students, his co-workers, his peers, and his friends dedicate this book to the memory of the last true ballistician of the 20th century.”
CLICK HERE to read full review….

Modern Exterior Ballistics
Author: Robert L. McCoy
1999, Schiffer Publ., Ltd.
ISBN: 0-7643-0720-7

Corrections for Modern Exterior Ballistics PDF

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Tech Tip 6 Comments »
March 29th, 2014

Cabela’s Slashes Prices on Rimfire Reactive Target Systems

Those of us engaged in the “relentless pursuit of accuracy” need to take a break now and then, and just enjoy a plinking session with the kids or grand-kids. We need to remember why most of us got involved with shooting as kids — and that was to have fun. Here are two target systems ideal for fun rimfire shooting sessions. With the dueling tree, you can shoot either solo, or with a buddy. The spinner targets can be placed pretty close for .22 LR pistols, and further out for a rifle-shooting challenge.

“You can be childlike without being childish. A child always wants to have fun. Ask yourself, ‘Am I having fun?'” — Christopher Meloni

“Fun. It‘s this crazy thing where people smile and laugh and are generally pleased. I could have sworn I saw you smile at least once.” — Aggy Bird

Both these target systems are now on sale in Cabela’s online Bargain Cave. They are deeply discounted, so you may want to grab one or both items before the price goes back up. The Triple Spinner Target System is just $9.99. You’ll pay nearly that much for a single movie ticket these days, and the spinner target will provide many more hours of entertainment.

Triple Spinner .22 Target System, Item: IK-230137

Cabela's 22 and 17 caliber dueling tree

Cabela’s Do-All Triple Spinner .22 Target System
Here’s a fun, reactive target for both rimfire pistols and rifles. This Triple Spinner .22 Target System is now offered for just $9.99, marked down from $24.99. Made specifically for soft-nosed .22 pistol and rifle shooters, the system uses a hands-free spinning target. The force of the bullet spins the target over the attachment bar and back into the set position. Four stabilizing legs provide a secure base. Note: This is a limited-time, online-only price in Cabela’s Bargain Cave.

.22/.17 Dueling Tree, Item No: IK-226450

Cabela's 22 and 17 caliber dueling tree

Cabela’s Bargain Cave Dueling Tree
For a limited time, Cabela’s is offering the Do-All Outdoors .22/.17 Steel Dueling Tree for just $39.99. That’s a 42% savings off the regular $69.99 price. This is a classic dueling tree, but with compact plates for use with .22-caliber and .17-caliber rimfire guns. The eight targets swing right-to-left or left-to-right and are automatically snapped back into position at impact by a spring-loaded mechanism. Spring tension is adjustable to ensure proper reset each time, whether you’re shooting .22 Shorts or .17 HMR. The 8mm steel targets are positioned with a forward angle that directs most bullet splash into the ground, but you still still always wear eye protection! Online Only Price – limited time offer. Price may vary in stores and catalogs.

SAFETY WARNING: .22/.17 Caliber targets are rated for Shorts, Longs, and Long Rifles at a minimum distance of 30 yards. Magnum and .17’s at a minimum distance of 100 yards. Use ammo with soft-nose lead bullets only.

Cabela’s Tips from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Permalink Hot Deals 4 Comments »
March 29th, 2014

Ammo Prices Charted Weekly by The Firearm Blog

Ammo price list Firarm Blog

Looking for the best prices on rifle and pistol ammo? Here’s a service that can help you comparison-shop pricing among multiple online ammo vendors. Starting this week, The Firearm Blog will be researching and posting ammo prices from two dozen different websites. Prices are displayed for 500 and 1000-round lots of the most popular pistol and rifle calibers: .380 ACP, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .22LR, .223 Rem, 7.62×39, and .308 Win. This is a useful service. Not only do the charts help you find the best price, but this weekly report helps spotlight sources of hard-to-find ammo, such as .22 LR rimfire ammunition. Among the 24 vendors surveyed, Alamo Ammo, Outdoor Limited, and Smokey Mtn. Munitions, are showing some kind of .22 LR ammunition in stock.

CLICK HERE to View all TFB Ammo Listings for 3/28/2014.

Ammo price list Firarm Blog

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Hot Deals 2 Comments »
March 29th, 2014

Learn about Little-Known Benefits for NRA Members

We know that many of our readers are NRA members. This article focuses on little-known NRA benefits. You may be aware that the NRA provides $2500.00 in firearms coverage to NRA members who activate their insurance. But did you know that the NRA offers its members discounts on car rentals, discounts on hotel/motel stays, and even discounts on moving expenses? The NRA even has health-related programs that can save you money on hearing aids and prescription drugs.

To learn about all these special benefits for NRA members, go to NRAmemberservices.org. Once you create an online account, you can activate your NRA firearms insurance, and check out the various special benefits offered to NRA members. You can also change your NRA print magazine selection or subscribe to various NRA newsletters. We do offer one warning though — the NRA is very aggressive when it comes to email marketing. We suggest, if you sign up, don’t list your business email address, or primary email address. Or use a spam filter so you don’t get deluged with messages from the NRA.

Permalink News 2 Comments »
March 28th, 2014

Lights, Camera, Action — Commence Fire

If you own a modern smart-phone, you have a shooting coach in your pocket. What we mean is that the video-recording capability of your smart phone can help improve your shooting. Have you ever watched yourself shooting, under match conditions? Well you may be shocked (and surprised) by what you see. Video reveals all. If you are flinching, you’ll see it. If you’re not returning your rifle to the same place on the rests after each shot, you’ll see it. If you are not maintaining a consistent cheek weld from shot to shot, you’ll see it.

If you are a serious competitive shooter (or aspire to be one), you should take a camera to the range next time you practice. Have a friend film you while you are shooting in “match-like conditions”, i.e. with time limits and a specific course of fire. After the filming session, review the video carefully.

Our IT guy, JayChris, has improved his shooting skills by filming his practice sessions and watching for gun-handling errors or other mistakes. Recently Jay won the F-Open division at the TCSA (Rattlesnake) match. Jay says his progress has been aided by video analysis:

“Video-tape yourself in match conditions (or under mock match conditions when practicing). I have video from my first season of shooting at a long range match some years ago. I can compare that to video shot in 2014. Going back to year one, I could see how much moving around I was doing. The video camera is a useful tool. I video myself every so often at the practice range, just to make sure I’m consistent. When reviewing the video, I’ve caught myself dropping a shot right after re-settling into a new position where I didn’t even notice I was doing it while shooting.”

Video analysis has helped our IT Guy, JayChris, shoot better and make fewer mistakes.
JayChris Video

Watch Your Position on Video
Jay continues: “Watching myself and other shooters on video has shown me how important it is to establish a comfortable shooting position. I used to move all over the place between shots. I spent some time getting a feel for a position where I could eject and load without breaking my cheek/shoulder weld, and that I could hold through a 20-shot string. It’s probably not as super critical as sling shooting positions, but I think it makes a big difference. It also helps ensure that your view through the scope remains the same. If you have parallax, changing your cheek weld has consequences. This includes making sure your rifle is set on the bags at a comfortable height — too high or too low and you are straining yourself and adding muscle tension into the equation.”

Use Video To Analyze Mistakes After Matches
Video can help you identify inconsistent holds and gun-handling mistakes. A video review can be part of the regular “post-mortem” you should do after every match. Bryan Litz says: “After each match, carefully analyze how you lost points and make a plan to improve. Beginning shooters will lose a lot of points to fundamental things like sight alignment and trigger control. At every step along the way, always ask yourself why you’re losing points and address the issues.”

Video can help you spot problems (such as inconsistent head position or bad trigger technique) that cost you points. We had one friend who was complaining about “mysterious horizontal” at matches. A post-match video session revealed that he was yanking the trigger to the side, rather than pulling straight back. He then consciously worked on his trigger control and his scores improved noticeably.

Video Equipment — What You Need
If you own a digital point-and-shoot camera made within the last four years, chances are you can shoot video. It may not be HD video, but it will suffice for the task of analyzing your shooting technique. Apple iPhones and iPads (and some Android phones) can take excellent video as well, but you’ll have to figure out a mounting system if you’re out by yourself. If you don’t currently own any device that can shoot video, consider one of the choices below. You can get a great camera for under $250.00 these days. The selections below all feature wide-angle capability, so you can position the camera close to the shooter. That’s important when shooting at crowded ranges. The Panasonic Lumix ZS20 has built-in GPS functionality, so you can tag your photos/videos with latitude and longitude.

One tip — you do NOT need to record at 1920×1080 Full HD resolution. It’s nice that some of the latest cameras (including the GoPro) offer this resolution, but 1920×1080 files will be HUGE, and older computers may have trouble playing back the video. For your range movies (to be viewed on a computer), we suggest you record at 720p HD.

Recommended Cameras with Video Capability

Permalink Shooting Skills, Tech Tip 2 Comments »
March 28th, 2014

Pistol Instructor Training for Women at 2014 NRA Convention

Report Based on Story by Lars Dalseide in NRABlog.com
This story is for the female shooters out there. Ever think about becoming an NRA Certified Instructor? You can make that happen at this year’s NRA Convention in Indianapolis. Starting on Friday, April 25th, the first day of the Annual Meetings & Exhibits, a few dozen ladies will gather at the Indiana Convention Center for a 3-day NRA Pistol Instructor course. All the instructors are women. The entire course runs $250. That covers the course materials, range use, firearm use, ammunition and range equipment.

After all is said and done, you will be required to demonstrate solid and safe pistol handling skills and successfully complete qualification exercises as well as receive the endorsement of the NRA Training Counselor conducting the course. Accomplish that and you will become an NRA-certified pistol instructor. To learn more the NRA female instructor development program, contact Diane Danielson at femaleinstructors@nrahq.org or 703-267-3999 for an application. CLICK HERE for more details.


In this video, Tatiana Whitlock talks about becoming an NRA Certified Instructor (1:40 time mark). Tatiana is also a martial arts expert, who favors the Israeli Krav Maga self-defense system.

NRA Instructor Tatiana Whitlock Show Her Skills with Firearms and Martial Arts

Permalink - Videos, Shooting Skills, Tactical No Comments »
March 28th, 2014

BYOB — Build Your Own Bench with Free Plans

Serious shooters spend lots of time in the reloading room. If you want to produce great ammo, start with a good, solid bench with a very rigid working surface and plenty of storage space. Here we present three sets of FREE workbench plans. Any one of these bench designs can be a good summer do-it-yourself project for those with basic word-working skills.

Easy-to-Build Basic Bench
Simpson, maker of Strong-Tie fasteners, offers FREE Workbench Plans for a sturdy, 48″-wide bench with a pegboard backing and both upper and lower shelves. A complete list of fasteners and cut lengths is provided. For use as a loading bench with mounted presses, double-up the bench-top for extra ridigity. Without much difficulty, the plans can be adapted to build a wider bench if you prefer. The same downloadable document also contains plans for an 80″-high 6-shelf unit, a 72″-high heavy-duty shelving unit (with 4 shelves), and a 48″-wide heavy-duty table.

FREE Strongtie Bench Plans (.pdf file).

Corner Bench with Swinging Doors
The next design is rather unique — a corner bench with swing-out cabinets. This reloading bench is based on plans by M. L. McPherson as published in the October 1993 American Rifleman. The compact footprint that makes good use of corner space that is usually poorly utilized. This set of plans originally came from Ray-Vin.com. The folks who started Ray-Vin have retired.

Reloading bench plans

FREE Corner Bench Plans (330kb .pdf file)

Classic NRMA Bench with Cabinets
The last bench design is a large, versatile bench with a full set of enclosed overhead cabinets. A National Reloading Manufacturers Association (NRMA) design, this bench requires many hours to build, but it will house all your reloading gear and provide a very stable platform for your presses.This bench was designed to be as versatile as possible to meet the needs of most reloaders. However, the bench design can easily be customized. For instance, it can be made larger or smaller to meet space requirements or quantities of equipment and components. As it is currently designed, the work area is about waist-high for a 6’2″ person. This can be adjusted to fit your height simply by making the legs longer or shorter.

NRMA reloading bench

FREE NRMA Reloading Bench Plans (2.42 megabyte .pdf file).

Permalink - Articles, Tech Tip No Comments »
March 27th, 2014

NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Indiana April 25-27, 2014

NRA Annual meeting indianapolis, indiana

Are you ready for the 2014 NRA Annual Meetings? The 143rd NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, April 25-27, 2014. This will be a huge event, attracting thousands of NRA members. The NRA Exhibits is a smaller version of SHOT Show, with over 600 exhibitors lined up in 400,000+ square feet of exhibit hall space. You’ll find products from every major firearms manufacturer in the country, plus accessories, outdoor gear, and more.

Along with the political speeches, there will be educational seminars, celebrity appearances, and even an indoor air-gun range. You can view priceless “investment-grade” firearms in the NRA’s gun collector area, or book a hunt from a dozens of leading outfitters and guide services.

Mobile App for NRA Annual Meeting in Indiana iOS AndroidGet Free NRA 2014 Mobile Apps
To help you organize your visit to the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits, the NRA has created FREE Apps for mobile devices. There are versions for iPhones and iPads, Android devices, and even Blackberries. These handy apps make it easy to plan your agenda and locate exhibitors. The Apps even have an interactive floor-plan (site map), so you can map out your “plan of attack” in advance. Here are key App features:

  • Interactive Floor-plan
  • Exhibitor List & Descriptions
  • Set ‘Favorites’ and Take Notes
  • New Products & Product Categories
  • Complete Schedule of Events, with Workshops, Seminars and Tickete Events.

  • Mobile App for NRA Annual Meeting in Indiana iOS Android

    For iPhone/iPad For Android OS Devices
    NRA 2014 Mobile For iPhone on the App Store NRA 2014 Mobile For Android on the Android Market
    Permalink New Product, News No Comments »
    March 26th, 2014

    Recall of .22 WMR and .17 HMR Ruger American Rimfire Rifles

    Ouch. The Ruger American Rimfire (RAR) rifle has only been on the market for a few months, and now some of the .22 WMR and .17 HMR versions are already being recalled. Some of these RARs left the factory without the necessary gas venting port.


    CLICK HERE for Full Ruger American Rimfire Recall Notice

    Reason for Recall
    Ruger American Rimfire rifles chambered in .22 WMR and .17 HMR manufactured between November 17, 2013 and January 8, 2014 were manufactured without a vent hole. This hole should appear just below and behind the serial number on the left-hand side of the receiver. The hole does not serve any function during normal operation of the rifle, but is a safety feature and may help vent gas in the event of a problem such as a ruptured case head or bore obstruction. Rifles are being recalled to add the vent hole to the action.

    Which Particular Rifles Are Being Recalled?
    Only Ruger American Rimfire rifles chambered in .22 WMR and .17 HMR within the serial number range 830-34831 to 830-43880 are subject to the recall. If your rifle is chambered in .22 LR or falls outside this serial number range, it is not subject to the recall. If you do have a RAR chambered in .22 WMR or .17 HMR, examine the left side of the receiver, just below and behind the serial number. If there is a hole there (Figure 1), then you do not need to return the rifle. If there is no hole (Figure 2), then the rifle should be returned.

    If you own a RAR chambered in .22 WMR or .17 HMR that is subject to the recall, contact Ruger. Call (603) 865-3100 or send email to: recall@ruger.com. After verifying that the recall applies to your rifle, Ruger will send out a packing container, detailed instructions, and shipping label so you can send in your rifle FREE of charge. Ruger will then retrofit your rifle and return it to you within one week of the day Ruger receives it.

    For RAR owners affected by the recall, Ruger will pay all costs of shipping (both ways). Ruger will also include a free magazine, a $24.95 value, when Ruger returns the rifle. Connecticut residents will receive a ShopRuger.com gift certificate in lieu of the magazine.

    Permalink News No Comments »
    March 26th, 2014

    ABCs of Neck Turning — Here is How It’s Done

    On our main AccurateShooter.com site, you’ll find an excellent article by GS Arizona on the Basics of Neck Turning. If you’re new to the neck-turning game, or are just looking for good tips on improving your neck-turning procedures, you should read that article. Below we offer some highlights and photos from the article, but you’ll need to read the whole story to view all the illustrations and follow all the procedures step by step.

    Why Should You Consider Neck Turning?
    Let’s assume that your rifle doesn’t have a tight neck chamber that requires neck turning; if you have a tight neck chamber, of course, the answer to the question is “because you have to”. For the rest of us, and that includes the vast majority of Highpower shooters, neck turning isn’t a requirement, but it can be a useful way to bring your ammunition a small but meaningful step closer to that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: perfection. I’m not talking about a theoretical improvement, but a real one, an improvement that lies in equalizing and optimizing the neck tension of your loaded rounds. Inconsistent neck tension is a real contributor to increased muzzle velocity variance which itself is a significant factor in increased elevation dispersion at long range. So there’s our basic reason for neck turning: to equalize and optimize neck tension in order to reduce elevation dispersion.

    neck-turning basics reloading salazar

    The Tools of the Trade
    Here you see everything I use and a bit more. The press, a cordless screwdriver (always plugged in, turning is tough on the old battery), a couple of K&M neck turners (one set up for 6mm, the other for .30 caliber) an expander for each size, some Imperial lube, an old toothbrush or two to keep the cutter clean, a handle with a caseholder (for those emergencies when the screwdriver dies and there’s just one more case to go!), steel wool and a tubing micrometer finish the list of tools. Hey, I left the dial calipers out of the picture! They’re always handy, keep them around, but they are useless for measuring neck thickness, so don’t try. I usually use an Optivisor magnifier while I turn necks, very handy for a clear view of what’s happening on the neck.

    neck-turning basics reloading salazar

    Expanding the Neck
    Put some lube on the inside of the case neck and run it into the expander. Really, this isn’t hard. I prefer to expand each case immediately before turning it as opposed to expanding all the cases and then turning them. Brass is somewhat springy and will tend to go back toward its original size; therefore, by expanding and turning immediately, you are more likely to have all cases fit the mandrel with the same degree of tightness and to get a more consistent depth of cut.

    Cutter Adjustment for Cut Depth and Length
    All the tools I’ve seen have pretty good adjustment instructions. The only thing they don’t tell you is that you should have five to ten spare cases to get it right initially. Anything of the right diameter will do while you learn, for instance, just use that cheap surplus .308 brass to do initial setup and save the precious .30-06 for when you know what you’re doing. Be patient and make your adjustments slowly; you’ll need to set the cutter for thickness as well as length of cut (just into the shoulder). The depth of cut (brass thickness) takes a bit of fiddling, the length of the cut is generally easy to set.

    The Finished Product — A Perfectly Uniform Neck
    If you read the whole article, and follow the procedures using quality tools, you should get very good results — with a little practice. To demonstrate, here’s an example of my finished, neck-turned brass. You’ll see there is a perfect, 0.0125″ thick neck. It’s very uniform around the circumference, usually I only see 1 or 2 ten-thousandths variance. Now, with the necks uniformed like this, we can select the bushing size that will give us our preferred neck tension and experiment with various levels of tension, secure in the knowledge that all of the cases will actually have the desired neck tension.

    neck-turning basics reloading salazar

    Permalink Reloading, Tech Tip 1 Comment »